Burn Red
by readforeternity
Summary: When Danny starts getting weird dreams about Dan, it really doesn't help when Clockwork gives him some really bad news. Dan has escaped and Danny finds out a secret that Clockwork has kept from him since before he met him. I collaborated on this story with TheseStarsBurnCold on Archive. I don't own Danny Phantom
1. Prologue

**Prologue, The Hallway with a Hundred Doors**

 **CLOCKWORK**

"Where are you going, Clockwork? Your duty is here, to watch over the time streams…" The ghost turned to them, red eyes glowing with suppressed emotions.

"That may be within my abilities, but that was never my duty," He said slowly, as if talking to a child. "My duty is to my family, as it always had been ever since that day." The ghost frowned, turning his gaze back to a gear that was showing current events within this timestream. "And right now that means finding my son."

The ghost shed the glamour that made him appear to change ages, as well as changing his appearance. The Observants could only stare as the Ghost of Time revealed his true self, before walking out the door.

"How did we not know he looked like, like that? How did we not know he had a son?!" One Observant asked, awakening from his shocked state first.

"He's the Ghost Master of Time." The other responded, rolling his single eye as if it were obvious. "And whoever has messed with his son, well, I feel no pity for them."

 **DANNY**

Danny didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to be seeing what he was seeing. And yet this scene he was staring at now showed up every single time he closed his eyes. He tried not sleeping, it had worked for maybe three or four days (he had lost track of time at some point) but then his grades and his fights started to reflect his sleepless state. And so here he was, dreaming the same nightmare he's had every day the past few years whenever the anniversary of the battle with Dark Dan rolls around. Buildings were in ruins, crumbling, or up in flames. Smoke billowing from fires in those buildings and on the ground. Some people were screaming, but they were far off and Danny knew by now he wouldn't make it in time. All along the street he stood on, and throughout the city of his nightmares, people laid dead on the ground, among them his own human half which was right in front of him.

He couldn't help it, screaming. He thought that by now he wouldn't scream, or cry, or sob relentlessly until his dreamself had no tears left. But he still did, and some part of him was grateful for that. It meant that he was still human, not like him. But it also meant that he was still afraid. Deathly afraid. Not of the being that caused this destruction, Dark Dan, who was him yet not him at the same time. But the idea, the concept that he could be evil, that he could snap, that he could lose everything and everyone he ever loved and cared for. The idea of being completely and utterly alone. And he knew that so long as there were no ghosts around to interrupt this sleep, he would not be waking up from this nightmare until it ended.

 **DARK DAN**

Dark Dan, Dan Plasmius, Dan Phantom, all three described who he is. Yet he didn't care what anyone called him. He was free again, free of that wretched thermos. A contraption that, while normally held to trap ghosts only temporarily, was unpredictable while being housed in the Time Master's lair. But now he was free and Clockwork couldn't see him with that annoying timeline sight of his. Dan didn't know how it worked, not really, but he couldn't care any less.

There was one thing that left him confused though. He no longer felt the want or need to go out and make everyone miserable. He didn't feel like killing anyone or destroying anything. He had, at first, thought it was just because he vented so much of his anger and hate while trapped. But by now, two days later, still in the Ghost Zone, he figured he should've found something to make him angry again. Or something to hate.

But it seems that wouldn't be happening on its own. His younger self could wait. Maybe. Right now he needed to…

What is that?

The thing in question, this far away, looked to be a black and white blotch, or blur, on a tiny island. But he knew of only one person in this time that had these colors. If his younger self was in the Ghost Zone, maybe making his life miserable before killing him wouldn't have to be on hold after all. As he flew closer, a few things became apparent to him.

The blotch was curled in on itself, appearing to be a child much younger than his younger self should be. Then again, his mind provided, Vlad is crazy and his former parents had been ghost hunters. It wasn't too far of a stretch to think that something could've made his younger self physically younger.

Then he caught the thing's scent. Ghost senses were much like a dogs in the fact that their hearing and sense of smell is better than their sight, though they had full range of color and weren't partially color blind. The child reminded him of his younger self, yet there was something different about it.

So forget Vlad and his former parents. This was not his younger self. Dan's eyes narrowed as he thought, flying closer to the girl. He was curious, he'd admit that. It's been a long time since he was curious about something. Yet now this girl who had to be related to his younger self somehow popped up out of nowhere and…

Didn't, in his time, Vlad say he had been working on something? That was years before now, and as far as he knew Vlad wouldn't have stopped, nor would his mansion have blown up. No, this kid couldn't be. Vlad wouldn't go so far as to. And she looked what? Eight? Ten? It was hard to tell, but she couldn't be that thing-Vlad-was-working-on-that-he-never-saw-because-he-blew-up-the-Mansion-and-everything-in-it.

He destroyed everything, including Vlad's cabin in Colorado...She still couldn't be what he was working on though.

The girl looked up, eyes widening as she saw him. Did she know of him, or did he remind her of some other ghost? Why did he even…?

The girl shrieked, eyes (glowing green that he hated) wide, and bolted away from him so fast it took him a few seconds to process it. "Oh no", he growled after he shook his head clear of the ringing in his ears. He would not let her get away and leave his confusion unanswered! He hated his confusion! He hated her because she had made him confused in the first place!

As he shot after the strange look alike little girl; one thought crossed his mind: He'd found something to hate again.


	2. Chapter 1- Rise of the Fallen

I wanted to first thank you all who have read, favorited, followed and even reviewed the story so far. I think you all are going to enjoy this story.

 **CLOCKWORK**

Clockwork's true appearance looked completely different from his illusioned appearance. He still had his scar, but that would always stay no matter the form he took. One similarity not really seen too much was the white hair that now fell messily over one eye not unlike a certain Half ghost superhero. He had legs and feet now instead of a ghost tail, though he could switch between the two should he so choose. His skin now looked a human pale, though in certain lighting you could see a blue tint to it. His eyes were now hidden by bifocals, circular ones which had a small glamour over them to make his eyes appear reddish brown. His staff now took on more of a cane-like appearance. However his clothing was what changed the most. Dress shirt and pants, a vest over top. Simple but looking as if he had some money.

It had now been several hours since he first left his tower (he had to go back at one point to retrieve the thermos that Dan had been held in) and now he was nearing the Fenton Portal. He could use a natural portal, but they were so unpredictable that even with his sight he couldn't see where they would all lead.

And God only knew why he'd never use Vladimir's portal.

Which lead him to here. He could make his own portal, but the sight of one opening up in the middle of a street or Daniel's house, would not bode well. With Daniel's human family nor with the citizens of Amity Park. Stopping time to get where he needed to go would, in short, be disastrous.

The portal opened, and Clockwork waited a moment longer before slipping into the swirling green portal that showed the lab empty except for himself and Jack asleep snoring loudly.

 **DANNY**

Looking back on the past few hours (before all of the Ghost Zone broke loose), Danny had to wonder how his life could possibly get anymore hectic. Honestly.

Okay so let's backtrack a bit. The day started out okay. Well, if you count waking up from three hours of constantly interrupted sleep and nightmares, exhausted from fighting ghosts nearly all of yesterday, okay. Then he had to avoid a new invention that his parents had made. Then when he did get to school, Dash managed to somehow fit him inside his locker. Again. Not too bad. No ghosts, thankfully. Yet.

It wasn't until Danny got home that it got strange, even for him. He walked into the house with Tucker and Sam when he saw Clockwork sitting in his living room drinking some tea with his mom. The only difference was Clockwork looked human.

Okay, what craziness was this? He knew that the whole three different ages thing was an illusion; Clockwork had told him so. He did go to see the ghost every week, or other week if he was caught up with ghosts and his parents and life. But drinking tea?! With his mom?! With what he knew of his mom, and all the inventions in the house, he could've been detected as a ghost. But he wasn't, maybe. Or maybe his mom was making another effort in tolerating ghosts again. Either way...Danny did not expect his mentor (for that is what Clockwork had become with their visits and the Time ghost's helping him with homework and ghost powers) to look like he had stepped straight out of the Victorian era.

"Hi Mom, uh hello Mister Bishop. I...wasn't expecting to see you here. Is everything alright? Your _employers_ bothering you again?" The now human looking ghost set his cup of tea down, smiling.

"No, Daniel, but thank your for the concern." _Yes they were but I can't say what about, since it often has to do with you._ "I simply decided to drop by today and found your mother quite busy cleaning up the house after an incident with her recent invention. Being who I am," He paused for another sip of tea. "I offered to help. She accepted, and now we're relaxing. Would you like some?"

"Uh, no thanks, tea's not really my thing. I'll go see if we have any soda left though. Sam, Tuck, you want anything?" Both his friends shook themselves from the shocked state they'd found themselves in. Seeing as Danny was relaxed, they felt they could to.

"Ice water." Was Sam's reply.

"Nah I'm good."

After Danny got the drinks and everyone settled themselves on either the couch or one of the chairs in the living room, Danny's mom spoke up. She told Danny that she and Mr. Bishop had been talking about him and how he would visit Mr. Bishop for tutoring. Mr. Bishop had said that Danny did remarkably well, and asked why Danny didn't show that in his school work.

Great, Danny thought glumly while trying to find a way out of this awkward situation. I'm doomed.

"Mrs. Fenton. I believe the reason he does not show this," Clockwork glanced over at his charge. "in his school work is because of, well, bullies and being separated more than he already is from his peers. That, and I also remember him telling me once that he finds that he does better in a more relaxed environment rather than in a hectic high school."

They talked some more, mindless chatter and a few more awkward or near-embarrassing moments for Danny. However one topic soon came up that he wished would never happen, ever. Especially not when his mother was right there.

"Daniel." Clockwork had seemed calm enough, but Danny knew better. He knew the ghost enough to see the twitching hands that always meant he was nervous about whatever he was going to say.

"Yeah Mr. Bishop?"

"H...He's out, Daniel. He's escaped."

Danny went cold, almost as if Clockwork froze the room. He found his whole body had gone tense, and that his heart was pounding in his ears. When had it gotten so loud? Sam, Tucker and his mom all looked confused. No one besides himself remembered that day. He was thankful for that, until now that is. All three knew that whoever _he_ happened to be, _he_ wasn't a good person.

"Danny? Sweetheart?" Maddie asked, trying to get her son to respond. "Who's he?"

Danny felt his throat tighten and cold sweat trickle down like a boa constrictor had gotten to it. His mouth felt dry and his tongue felt like lead had been placed right on top of it.

"I...he…." How could he explain this to them? How could he explain that _he_ was Danny but evil from a timeline that no longer existed and….

"Daniel…" Clockwork's voice broke through the sound of his heart rate and breathing, which had picked up in just moments. "Daniel, breathe. Breathe." Danny tried. He honestly did. However flashes of his nightmares were bleeding into reality and he couldn't stop it. There was blood, when had there been blood? And fire.

"Danny!"

"Daniel!"

"Breathe, sweetheart."

It took what felt like hours for everyone, even Clockwork, but eventually Danny calmed enough to force the nightmare-flashes to retreat to the farthest corners of his mind.

"Sorry guys… He...I just can't...can't answer that right now."

Danny saw his mom's frown, his friend and girlfriend's worried expressions, and Clockwork's look of understanding. Because he was the only other one who remembered any of this (besides the Observants but they don't count).

"I could tell them, Daniel." Even the ghost's tone was of understanding, soothing Danny's nerves some.

"No," Danny said releasing a breath, "It's alright, I've got an idea."

 **CLOCKWORK**

"Mr. Bishop." Madeline turned her attention from her son to Clockwork, her tone serious as she addressed him.

"Who is this person and why does he scare my son so much?" Clockwork took a second to compose himself and make sure his own tone would remain detached and void of the emotion that was boiling inside him.

Danny took a deep breath before turning to his mother, "Um, Mom, well, I've secretly been helping Phantom fight the ghosts that attack town and well there was this one ghost that was pretty bad. Phantom almost wasn't able to beat him. Except I distracted the ghost with one of you and Dad's weapons and gave him the time and it helped him figure out a way to defeat him."

"What?! Danny, you are so grounded young could have gotten killed." Maddie scolded him, "And is why the weapons keep on disappearing?

" ."

"I know, I'm sorry mom."

"So now my son's being targeted by a _ghost_?!"

"Mrs. Fenton, this isn't just...this is not just a ghost you can go out and fight expecting to win. The best we can do would be to get Phantom and any allies of his that are willing to help to fight him and catch him again, while _we_ _evacuate_ the _surrounding area_. Perhaps the entire city, if the situation grows dire enough."

It was then that the sound of explosions echoed in their ears. Both Danny and Clockwork had to cover their ears, their sensitive hearing making the loud, low boom almost painful.

Jack emerged coughing from the lab, looking panicked and struggling to remain standing, much less keep walking over to where his wife; son; his son's friend; his son's girlfriend, and a stranger sat in the living room.

"Eh… hello…"

"John Bishop, sir." Clockwork lowered his hands from his ears slowly. "I assume you must be Mr. Fenton?"

"...Yes. Oi Maddie could you help me with cleaning up down there? A few of the inventions toppled over in the vault and kind of...exploded." Maddie looked from her son, to her husband and back again a few times before sighing.

"I'm coming Jack." She turned and gave a pointed look toward Clockwork, who met her with a leveled gaze, "Mr. Bishop…"

"I'll look after him, Mrs. Fenton. You need not worry." With a small huff she turned and followed Jack back into the lab.

Samantha had to go home, something about her mother and grandmother having yet another fight that her father couldn't seem to break up. Tucker was called home for dinner, leaving Danny and Clockwork sitting alone in the living room.

"I..have another home, you know, besides the clocktower, that we could go to."

"And leave Amity Park?"

"No." Danny's eyebrows rose as he tilted his head in confusion. "We don't even have to leave the city limits."


	3. Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

**DANNY**

When Danny and his friends and family arrived at the house Clockwork had told him about, a day had already passed. There was no sign of Dan, but that didn't mean Danny was home free. In fact, his nightmares had been worse the previous night, and he only got maybe two hours of rest this time. The lack of sleep wasn't his concern though. It was the lives of everyone; his family, friends, and the citizens in general.

Despite his mind being miles away when they walked through the front door of the Victorian styled, three story house, he couldn't help but be amazed. He had thought the outside looked cool, but the inside beat it by a landslide.

"It's...bigger on the inside." The understatement of the century. The house had to be some sort of ghost portal in disguise. It had to be! There was no way you could fit what appeared to be acres of land in a little three-story house!

"Yes Daniel, it is bigger on the inside. I called in a few favors from an old friend of mine to make it like this."

"The eyeball guys?"

"No. In fact he's just as annoyed with them for not allowing the creation of a new keyboard a year ago. You've met him; last Christmas I believe."

"Oh. Him. Great." Danny said sarcastically as he figured out just who it was. Even though he and the Ghost Writer had sort of made up since then, they were still not exactly friendly.

"Who is this friend of yours?" Danny's mom asked as they walked through a large open area with walkways and flowers growing everywhere. There were other houses, many of them, all Victorian or of similar style, off in the distance and Danny swore that a bee flew past him at one point.

"His name's Moore, Clement Moore. He was some author when he was alive."

Sam sputtered, "Clement Moore?!"

"Another ghost?" Danny's mom asked.

"Yes. He's nice, though can be rather impulsive." Danny mumbled to himself, something his mom couldn't quite catch.

"Are there ghosts here?" Clockwork paused as they reached the edge of the the town.

"Of course there are. You didn't think this place was unoccupied did you?" With that, Danny took a closer look at the town, seeing some faces peering out windows, others -who appeared to be children- playing with some unidentifiable ball a few houses down. Most of the houses, he could tell, had no occupants, but there were enough to give a life to the town.

"This isn't everything, is it?" Clockwork gave a small smile; the first since he arrived yesterday, and shook his head.

"No, the town spreads out further than this. Some homes are much larger than these."

"Who's next Charles Dickens?"

"No. He and his ghost passed on long ago."

Once they got actually in the house and settled they all set off to bed, even Clockwork, who, contrary to what most humans believe about ghosts, did get tired. But his type of dreams aren't normal even for a ghost. His dreams told of ages long forgotten, events happening half a world away, and even possibilities for the future.

 **CLOCKWORK**

It all starts with darkness showing ashy smoke and debris, with people coughing and calling for loved ones, when a dark laugh echoes the area. He then saw Dark Dan walking in holding Danny by the neck who's out cold and just hanging there.

"Danny!" screamed Sam, horror clearly shown on her face. She struggled but unsuccessfully, to pull her leg from under one of the debris.

With that crooked smile on his face he finally began speaking, " Tich… tich … It seems like Daddy dearest wasn't able to save you you this time, " Dan laughs darkly. He lifts Danny a little higher, before throwing him back down across the ground into a wall. Sam screams again, tears welling in her eyes. Dan picks Danny back up by his hair, electrocuting with ecto-electricity.

"Daniel!" Everything shifted, briefly to complete black before changing once more to that of a bedroom. Clockwork just sat there in bed for a few minutes, the "sun" of the land they were in just beginning to rise. He let out a long sigh, knowing his nerves would not be settled until he saw Danny later when everyone else woke up. For now though, the Ghost of Time knew he wouldn't be getting back to sleep any time soon.

 **DANNY**

Danny was sitting in a wooden chair, eating a bowl of fruitloops. It was still early into the morning but once Danny was up and awake he was determined to stay that way, unlike most teenagers, or Tucker. He had brought along a box full of fruitloops just in case he got hungry, much to the rest of Team Phantom's amusement. His parents on the other hand were slightly confused, though when Jazz told them it was an inside joke that they shared, well, they were okay with that.

And then Clockwork entered the kitchen/living room combination, looking tired and said, "Morning everyone."

"Morning Mr. Bishop." Was the collective reply.

"Mr. Bishop," Danny asked once the ghost sat himself down in a chair. "Are you okay?"

"Yes Daniel. Just a bad dream that's all." Danny didn't look to convinced, but he didn't push the issue.

"So, Mr. Bishop, is this house Victorian?" Sam asks after swallowing a spoonful of cereal.

"Why yes, Samantha, in fact it is." Clockwork answers with Sam reacting with a slight twitch from her lip. She hates being called Samantha, but is doing her best to not act out in front of everybody.

"Mr. Bishop who exactly is this ghost that's after my son, and why? And Danny you never told us about and this ghost. Why? Did you think we weren't up to the job of capturing that ghost?"

"Please, Mr. Fenton, Call me John. And on your thoughts on the ghost, I'm sure your wife has told you that he was a deadly mass murderer - and by mass I mean tens, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, who has come back as an extremely powerful ghost. As for why he's after Daniel, I cannot say; but it'd put you and Mrs. Fenton in just as much danger as Daniel, if not more. The boy has heroic qualities and as all heroes do, they want to protect their family even if they have to keep secrets from them."


	4. Chapter 3: I'd Die a Thousand Deaths

Hello guys, I thought that since you guys have been so supportive so far and the fact that chapter 2 is relatively short, I'd give you a treat. A bonus chapter. I hope you guys enjoy these two chapters I've put up tonight. Enjoy!

 **CLOCKWORK**

Clockwork couldn't thinking about that prophetic nightmare from the previous night. Every time he saw Daniel, the nightmare would flash briefly before his eyes, and it darkened his overall mood considerably. This must be what Daniel felt every day, looking at his family and knowing what could have happened, seeing what still could happen. And most of all being terrified, even when they were standing right in front of him, perfectly fine, happy, and safe.

It was stressful to. No wonder his son often took out his misplaced aggression on either the ghosts he fought (occasionally) or on targets and dummies during the recent training sessions that he had with the Time Ghost.

If Daniel, or anyone else in the house knew of his mood, they didn't comment on it. He hoped that what he had told to Jack (which had been heard by everyone) would be reflected on and hopefully understood.

Later that day Clockwork was taking a walk around the house, when he overheard Daniel and speaking in his bedroom.

"Sam...Sam, listen, please."

"..And why did you not think to tell..us about him?" Sam's reply, which cut Daniel off mid sentence, could be heard clear as day throughout the entire hallway.

"I...uh…"

"And don't you dare give the sorry a- excuse that you didn't want us to f- worry!" There was a pause where nothing was said, "You could've told us something! You could've told JAZZ! She's your SISTER for pete's sake and now she's out of the city in college not knowing about any of...of this!"

"Sam…" Daniel's words were spoken in a low, almost pleading tone. "Sam, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? Oh so you're sorry for practically torturing yourself day in and day out over this, over these nightmares which I'm sure are about f- Dan...yeah...just...just don't shut us out, not anymore...not again…" By the end of this, the time master could hear Samantha's voice wavering, breaking in between words and syllables.

"Daniel? Samatha? Tucker?"

The trio turned their heads to see Clockwork walking in his cane in hand. Samantha was calming down now, Daniel helping her to sit down next to him.

"Umm… Hi Mr. Bishop." Sam greeted Clockwork.

Clockwork leaned in on the trio with a knowing smile on his face, "I am pretty sure you know who I really am, Samantha."

"Yep… so…. Clocky…" Tucker said. Clockwork raised an eyebrow at the nickname the techno-geek gave him. Though he supposed he should be used to it by now, "Do ya need anything?"

"No...no. I was just taking a walk, when I heard your .. . . conversation." He paused, glancing back and forth between the trio, "Is everything alright?"

"Yep! Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about...not that you get worried because you can see what happened and what's gonna happen."

"Tuck. Stop, man. You're nervous. You know you ramble when you're nervous."

"Me… Nervous…. What?! No, Danny. You're just talking crazy." Daniel rolled his eyes with him and Samantha trying to hide their laughter. Even Clockwork had to smile at the trio's antics.

 **DARK DAN**

Meanwhile…

Dan growled under his breath, wondering why he hadn't killed off the little runt (or brat) when he had found her. She proved, in the past hours, to be more of a nuisance than anything else. Where in the world and the zone had she got all her energy from, he may never know. And the questions! He swore that she could kill people with them, talking her enemies ears off.

"So~ How different is your timeline, Dan? Is Vlad still a fruitloop? Did you and Sam get together before or after high school? Do you have any kids...ooo! That'd mean I'd have...second cousins or something right? Even though you're from a different time it'd still count right? Did Tucker ever get a girlfriend?"

Dan huffed. "My timeline is..pretty different and yes Vlad is still the biggest fruitloop ever to….grace...the Earth. Now shut up."

"That was sarcasm right? I'm pretty sure, hard to tell with you, even though, well, yeah. And you didn't answer my other questions! Why, did something happen? Did Sam break up with you? Did she leave you or something? Is that why you're so mad? Dan why is your face turning red? It's not from embarrassment is it? Dan why are you making such a weird face? Woah, how'd you get the fangs and the weird snake tongue?"

"You can thank Vlad for that one. Enough with the d- questions they're infuriating the s- out of me."

"Woah, you cursed. I don't think this timeline Danny curses. What changed? Did something bad happen?"

"Yes! Everyone f- died! You happy?!"

"Oh…" There was a moment of golden silence. "How'd they die?"

"SHUT THE F- UP! Alright ya brat?!"

Dan paused; he never has gotten emotional over their deaths like that since he got rid of his humanity. If anything, he shouldn't be getting emotional over anything at all, other than perhaps anger and hatred. Now these odd emotions he couldn't identify anymore were popping up and that, added onto the questions this little Phantom had, made him wonder if she had a death wish. Didn't she know he could kill her without lifting a finger or batting an eye?

"Sorry!... Sorry, I was, just curious…" Dani said apologizing as she stared down at her feet.

Dan immediately regained his composure. "Anyway, how exactly are you my cousin and why are you here in the zone instead of with your parents or my younger self?"

"Um…"

"Are you even my cousin and not some little dead brat?"

"Yes! I am!"

"Then why're you here? You're what? Eight? Ten?"

"I'm twelve."

"Well then," Dan continued on, not really caring about her age. "Why. Are. You. Here? Did you get lost or something? Did something happen to _your_ family? Hm?" He was inches away from her face now, glaring full force, fangs bared and upper lip pulled back into a snarl.

" 'm sorry…" Danielle mumbled, backing up a bit, still avoiding looking at him.

"You didn't answer my questions." He mocked, imitating her earlier words, before sighing. "Now just shut up and I won't have to kill you." Dani wasn't sure if he was joking or not, so began looking around for either the Fenton Portal or Vlad's portal (even though that was the last place she wanted to go but hey, a permanent portal was a permanent portal, it just meant they'd take a bit longer in getting to Amity Park), or some ghost who could tell them where either of the two were.

In the distance they could hear the familiar wail of the Box Ghost, "Beware! I am the Box Ghost! Fear me!"

"Dear God, I almost forgot how infuriating he used to be."

"Did he get worse?"

"What'd I say about the questions? But yes, worse. The stronger he got, the more annoying he became."

"Ok. Shutting up now…maybe we could ask him where the portal is...I kind of don't know my way around here too well either."

"Well then why didn't you say so earlier? Would've saved us a lot of time."

"Sorry."

 **DANNY**

Danny found that he couldn't sleep, not that he wanted to in the first place but he had to get some form of rest and this time it seemed to elude him. Sam and Tucker camped out in what would be his room, like they would always do when they were little. Except this time they weren't at his or Sam's house, and of course, Danny couldn't sleep. So he decides to take a walk. Perhaps to the kitchen and have some warm milk like normal people do. But this is a big house and you can easily get lost in big houses, especially at night.

As Danny was wandering the house, trying to find the kitchen, he stumbles into what he thought, at first, was the kitchen. But then his tired mind supplied him with the knowledge that no, the kitchen was not separated by a door. The kitchen was not this small and would be connected to the living room, on the other side of the house. Curious to what this room was, he peered inside to see that it was Clockwork's bedroom, as he hadn't found it on the second floor, and the third floor was the attic. Upon seeing that it in fact was Clockwork's bedroom, he had been all ready to turn around and leave the ghost in peace. But then he noticed that he was, wavering? Flickering? No, the air around him was wavering, while his form (or what Danny could see of it) seemed to flicker in and out of visibility. Danny, for a brief moment, wondered if Clockwork was...fading, but then the notion was immediately pushed to the side as he saw the other forms that appeared in between. The bright blue skin of his illusioned form. There was almost a pattern to it, child, human, old, human, adult, human, and repeat. Danny could also hear a faint crackling sound, identifying it was something like connection to a certain radio station being fuzzy.

"What on God's green earth?" Danny says mystified right before reaching for Clockwork.

It all starts with darkness showing ashy smoke and debris, with people coughing and calling for loved ones, when a dark laugh echoes the area. This alone was frighteningly familiar to Danny. He saw Dark Dan walking in holding him by the neck. From what he could tell, he was out cold and in his Phantom form. Ectoplasm was dripping from varying wounds and cuts everywhere, and Danny, now looking at the scene from a different perspective, wondered how many times he had gotten near that point. Many, he concluded. If it weren't for his willpower and faith, he knew he'd have died completely long before Dan's timeline even existed.

"Danny!" screamed Sam, horror clearly shown on her face. She struggled but unsuccessfully, to pull her leg from under one of the debris. Danny tried to move, knowing it was a dream and confused why he couldn't. All he could do was stand there, watching the scene unfold.

With that crooked smile on his face he finally began speaking, " Tich… tich … It seems like Daddy dearest wasn't able to save you you this time, " Dan laughs darkly. He lifts Danny a little higher, before throwing him back down across into the ground. Sam screams again, tears welling in her eyes. Dan picks Danny back up by his hair, electrocuting with ecto-electricity.

Wait a minute. Back up. Daddy dearest? Surely Dan wasn't talking about his dad, Jack. He couldn't be. But then if he wasn't, then who was he referring to? Who…?

Danny then sees two separate Clockworks, One unconscious and another that's on his knees screaming, "No! Danny… No!...no…."

Both jolted awake. Danny took a step back, eyes wide with shock and confusion and thoughts streaming through his head at the speed of light. Clockwork woke up, his form shifting and stabilizing into his true, more human appearance.

"Daniel." His voice was barely above a whisper. "What are you doing in here?"

"What was that?" Danny asked. It was the only thing that came to mind. "The dream? Why...why did Dan...who was he talking about?" He didn't mention the fact that Clockwork had actually called him Danny instead of Daniel. He figured that, at least, could be left alone until whatever time the ghost chose to share it with him. If at all.

"Daniel, you must understand…"

"Understand, what? Am I even a Fenton? Who am I Clockwork?!" Clockwork waved his arm across the door in order to freeze time in the house outside the room so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"How else? Why else would Dan have said 'Daddy dearest' if..well I know he wouldn't be talking about Dad when he said that."

"And now you're wondering if Jack is even your actual father?" Danny nodded his head, emotions rolling around inside him so violently that he found his tongue tied. Or at least it felt that way.

"I can assure you, Daniel." There was the calm, soothing tone again. Something Danny was almost sure that Clockwork was the only one who could effectively pull it off. "Jack is your father, you don't have to worry about that."

"Then how…?"

"Daniel, I'll tell you, but you'll need to sit down, stay still and keep a level head, no matter how difficult that may be for you."

"Fine." Danny sat down with his arms crossed.

"I'm sure you remember the day of the accident, however there was...more behind the cause of your powers."

"Go on."

"Under normal circumstances you would have died from either the electricity itself or from the ecto radiation poisoning, a quick death or a slow agonising one. Let's just say that no outcome where you died that day is a good one. There would have been no ectoplasm that would adapt enough to fuse with your DNA, had...had a ghost not been on the other side of the forming portal at that exact moment to absorb the blast and give you their own ectoplasm so you'd live. The portal would've ripped you apart instead."

Had Danny not been sitting down at the time he would've collapsed over into the chair, and then proceeded to fall over onto to the ground.

"And the only one who would've known to be there was...you…" He now noticed the black scar that ran down the Time Master's face, and the faint ones, ones on his hands that made them take on a darker tone than the rest of his skin..

"Yes Daniel, that was in fact, the cause of my . . . scars." Danny found that, once again, he couldn't speak. Clockwork had saved his life from the very start of...of all of this.

"You really are like a father aren't you Clockwork? …. Why didn't you tell me?" Clockwork frowned, releasing the time within the room from it's frozen state.

"Why couldn't I do anything, Daniel? The Observants would have found out, they would've been calling for your death before you could even realize what is was you've become."

"So, Clockwork does that mean that they have something to do with Da…"

And then another explosion, much louder than the one Danny's dad had made, rocked the foundations of the house.


	5. Chapter 4: All for the Sake of Love

**CLOCKWORK**

"Knock knock knock." Dark Dan said in a mocking tone. "Is anybody home?"

There was coughing and crying for loved ones around the houses that were either totally collapsed or partially to a great extent. Other people were running, panicking and screaming their heads off. Clockwork and Daniel only had to glance at each other before a collective thought passed through both of their heads. Nodding once, they rushed out of the room and into the kitchen where Sam, Tucker, and Daniel's parents were gathering.

"That's him...isn't it?" Tucker asked.

Daniel nodded his head, face void of emotion. "Yeah."

"Daniel, why don't you go and find Danny Phantom, and hide." Clockwork suggested eying Daniel. "He should be around here somewhere by now."

"I'm not gonna just hide. Not with you guys fighting him."

"Sweetheart, we can handle this, go find Phantom."

"Fine. Just be careful, you guys," Danny says before running off around to the corner to go ghost.

 **DARK DAN and DANNY**

Beside Dan Dani stood there horrified at what he just did and tried to get to the collapsed house only to be held by Dan,"Hey! Kid! Stop wasting your time on the humans! Besides I just collapsed that building not two seconds ago!"

"No! Those people are hurt! Because of you!."

"Oh shut up, kid. I don't care who dies and who doesn't."

"Why?! It's almost like you don't have… "

"What? Humanity?! Gave that up a long time ago, brat. Emotions? I don't need 'em, and I sure don't want 'em."

"Then I'll stop you. The good Danny will stop you."

"Haha! Kid, you got your facts mixed up. I AM Danny. He is me, I am him. He will become me, and you can't even hold a proper ectoblast right. How do you expect to hold up against me?"

"She won't have to." A different voice replied, and as Dan turned, he got an ectoblast to the face. "I beat you once, Dan."

"Yeah, by sheer luck." Dan sneered at his younger self, who had just shown up.

"And I will do it again." Danny finished as if Dan hadn't interrupted. "Danielle, can you please continue to get everyone out of those buildings and away from here? Please?"

"Sure thing, Danny." Dani says before bolting off.

Before Danny could even charge up another ectoblast, Dan releases an exponentially powerful Ghostly Wail directed toward Danny. The force of the attack flung Danny through four whole buildings before landing himself inside one of the collapsed buildings.

Dark Dan walked over to Danny and held him up by the neck who's out cold and just hanging there.

"Danny!" screamed Sam, horror clearly shown on her face. She struggled but unsuccessfully, to pull her leg from under one of the debris. She'd been helping some people who had been trapped in the building get out, only to be caught under a falling beam and trapped herself.

With that crooked smile on his face he finally began speaking, " Tich… tich … It seems like Daddy dearest wasn't able to save you you this time, " Dan laughs darkly. He lifts Danny a little higher, before throwing him back down into the ground. Sam screams again, tears welling in her eyes. Dan picks Danny back up by his hair, electrocuting with ecto-electricity. This brought him back to consciousness, though he had to fight for it.

"Wh...what?" He croaked, not able to say anything else due to the pain that raced through his body. In response to this, Dan threw him toward the pile of rubble and debris that Sam was trapped in, thinking, or perhaps knowing, that he had won this time.

"Pathetic."

He was lying in front of Sam, who by now couldn't, or maybe wouldn't, stop her tears.

"Danny. Danny please. Get up!"

It felt like minutes, but Danny was still breathing, still moving, struggling to rise. The boy was covered in red blood and green ectoplasm. He was able to get onto his hands and knees, but even that was hard. His shaking arms and heavy breathing could testify to that.

Dan gives a dark smile and disappears.

"Ghost child." growled Skulker's voice followed by a punch in the face.

"Look it's the Halfa!"

"Get him!"

"What are you? A ghost trying to fit in with humans? Or a creepy little boy with creepy little powers?" Spectra's voice followed by a slice through his shoulder.

"Danny! Help me!" Cried a voice that sounded way too much like Dani's.

"Daniel, over here my little badger," Danny turns follows turning once again facing where the voice appeared only to receive continued punches all over his body; from his head to his back to his gut. On and on until he fell to his knees with one hand giving him support with the other on his upper leg, forcing himself to get up. With all these punches it's no surprise that he has bruises all over.

"I…" Danny coughed harshly, making Dan turn around to see what he thought was impossible for his younger self. "I'm not done yet." He lifted his head, staring his alternate self dead in the eyes. "I won't…"

Dan growled. "You honestly think you can defeat me this time? Sure you may have gotten stronger, but I can still knock you out cold or even banish you into some desolate region of the Ghost Zone!"

"I've said this before to Pariah, I'm sure you remember him right? I don't have to win, DAN. I just have to make sure that _you_ lose!"

Taking in a deep, rattling breath, Danny summoned up the rest of his strength, and the icy cold from his ghost core, leading it to his voice box. If this didn't work then, well, everyone was pretty much doomed. He knew he wouldn't be getting up for a long time after this.

With a scream he released every ounce of the power he had pooled into his vocal cords, the Ghostly Wail, now infused with ice, ripped through what was left of the crumbling building. Sam, behind him, had covered her ears, which stopped any pain and injury but didn't stop the noise or cold.

Dan's eyes went wide and he, for the second time, was caught off guard by the sheer amount of power that his younger self could pull together, even when beaten into near submission. He threw up his hands in front of him to form a shield, but by then it was too late. His whole body was starting to freeze over, and while his fire core was struggling to beat it back, it wasn't enough for the sub-zero temperature that was surrounding him. And the sound of the Wail had changed. Before, it would sound like a thousand souls in a haunted choir. Now, it was much like the Banshee cry that people associated with the attack.

Before too long, he was completely frozen in a block of ice. Not dead, due to his core keeping him alive, but not getting out any time soon. The Wail met an abrupt end when Danny cut of the power in his throat, knowing if he spent any more than the amount he had, he'd likely die. All the way this time. Danny then collapsed to the floor, his legs giving out from underneath him. His vision was blurry and he felt light headed. Sam was shouting for help.

Glowing rings of light washed over him, reverting him to human form once more, the green ectoplasm (which had a bright red sheen in certain lighting) changing to red blood (which had a faint green, barely noticeable glow). He couldn't stay conscious any longer; and everything went blissfully dark.

I want to thank you all for all the love in the reviews and in the amount of views you gave this story in the span of little over a week. Seriously people! 400 views in a week, I can't tell you how happy I am. I hope you all enjoy the chapters that are to come and please continue reviews. If you have any critisism that you think could help the story, please send them. I'll even relay the ideas to my wonderful co-author to our story to see what we can do to make the story be even better.


	6. Chapter 5

**CLOCKWORK**

"Danny!" cried his family as they were running toward him, luckily just after he transformed human. Clockwork was shaking, or at least, his hands were, wanting to go right up there with them. But he couldn't. The Ambulance was here and, as the paramedics came by to put Daniel on a stretcher and into the vehicle, he couldn't look away. He looked so pale and..well, like death. And Clockwork hadn't been there to help; hadn't been there to fight off the dark, older version of his son with the good one.

The Time Master sighed, feeling all of his thousands of years weighing down on him now. He'd be at the hospital to visit Daniel, but his human family would be the ones to be in the Ambulance with him. His human family would be the first and only people to see him for a while yet.

That is, assuming he woke up soon. Clockwork couldn't tell at this point. The future part of his Sight was clouded and all different sorts of possibilities would flash in and out of existence; due to his emotional state. For a ghost who was to watch over the timelines of this world, his son had to be the one that he couldn't protect. The one who he couldn't, wouldn't, let drift on by, living and dying and passing on into eternity. He knew for certain that when that time came to pass, he would pass on as well. The Observants could choose another guardian for the task of watching over the timestream for all he cared.

From what the doctors were saying, it'd be at least two weeks before Daniel even woke up, and an estimated three until he could walk and around and be discharged from the Hospital. That alone made the Time Ghost want to hit something, or accelerate its aging until it was reduced to a pile of dust.

The two weeks went by slowly. After the first three days, word had spread through most of the city that Danny Phantom had saved them all from a horrible ghost that looked like him...somewhat. And that now the ghost was encased in a block of ice, only to break out should Phantom will it (which would most likely be never) or if Danny were to end, or die a second time. Word also happened to get out that Daniel Fenton was attacked by the ghost (supposedly for being the son of two ghost hunters and an easy-looking target) and had injured him to the point of hospitalization. Danny Phantom then just so happened to swoop in and kick the ghost's tail, turn him into an ice cube, and left to make sure help would arrive soon.

The sight of Daniel looking this pale, this...broken, made him almost have a breakdown several times in the next four days after that. He had been debating whether or not to just speed up Daniel's healing process, though he doubted that one since it would do more harm than good. The healing process would have to take up energy that Daniel couldn't take in at the rate he needed to in order for that to happen, and since he virtually had none when he first arrived…

Clockwork felt his foot began to tap the ground in a rhythmic pattern, showing that he was worried where his facial expression would not. He stood now in his Clocktower, his lair greeting him with the tick-tock sound of multiple clocks. For ghosts, the more powerful they were, the stronger their lair was and the more sentient they were. The more sentient they were, the more connection they had to their owner and the more connection, the stronger the ghost in question was likely to grow. The cycle continued until the ghost either ends and leaves for eternity, or fades out of existence altogether.

He silently cloaked himself in the illusion he'd worn for hundreds of years, this time keeping to one age instead of going through a cycle of three. His adult form, staff in hand and ghostly tail swirling about him. The Master of Time gave a long, broken sigh. Just this first week felt like all of time in every timeline from every timestream stretching out before him, when he'd only recently became a ghost. How long would the next week be, before he could talk to his son and know then that he'd truly be okay?

With it being halfway through the second week, Clockwork just couldn't focus anymore on the timestreams and decides to walk out of the tower. That was his plan anyway; but then the Observants appear blocking his way.

"Observants, why are you blocking my path?" He asked, already annoyed at just seeing them here. "I have urgent business, in the human world."

"Clockwork, you very well know that there is no 'urgent' business; we have been watching you ever since you came back from the occurrence with the boy's former future self. You have been most distracted and unfocused with the watching over the timestream. Something must be done." Says one of the Observants.

"Like what?"

"I believe the humans call it 'house arrest'."

 **DANNY**

The first thing he noticed when waking up was the smell. The scents of different flowers and that God-awful hospital smell stung his nose. The flowers would've been okay, if it weren't for the smell of cleaners and sick people. The next thing to come back was his hearing. Everything sounded loud. Sam was in a chair somewhere close by, talking to Jazz and Tucker. How did they manage to get Tucker here? He was deathly afraid of hospitals and clinics and nurse's offices. His mom and dad were talking to a doctor or nurse. He couldn't tell which yet. The next thing was touch. Hospital sheets and pillows, ah forget it, the entire bed was horribly uncomfortable and cold. Was there a mask over his face? Everything just seemed blurry and disorienting. Just how badly hurt did he get this time?

The last of his main senses yet to hit him was sight, but he didn't know because of opening his eyes. He knew because of the light pouring in from a window that hit his eyelids, and oh God did his head hurt. Jesus. He was no stranger to migraines but this one took the cake.

"Could someone please cover up the window?" Don't ask how he knew it was natural light instead of artificial. He was still figuring that out, along with that weirdly realistic dream he had moments ago.

"DANNY!" Why did everyone have to yell?

"Dude, you're awake!"

Danny covered his eyes with a hand. It helped, but his head was still pounding like a gavel in a courtroom.

"Yes, yes, I am once again among the living now could you please," He paused to take a breath, noticing now how his entire body was sore and noticed something was missing, "Hey, where's Clo- Mr. Bishop?" His ghost sense hadn't gone off, so the time ghost wasn't in the room. Maybe he was out getting food, or tea? "And could someone get on with covering the window and for God's sake please keep your voices down."

Jazz laughed a little, hearing her little brother's mood clearly in the tone of his voice. "Alright little brother." She moved to do as he asked, before continuing, all laughter gone, "None of us have seen Mr. Bishop since a few days ago, and I just got here last week after getting the news of you being in the hospital. Again."

"Oh."

"I'm sure he's fine Danny." Danny's dad assured. "He's probably back at his time-and-dimension-warping-house that's-bigger-on-the-inside right now."

"Right. Sure." Somehow Danny wasn't convinced by this. He didn't say anything though. No use in ruining everyone's mood with his paranoia. Besides, it was a stupid, realistic dream that was nagging him at the back of his mind. Wait… didn't this happen before when he'd seen some sort of weird vision dream because of Clockwork? Was this like that? He was nowhere near the time master though. "Did anyone else get hurt?" He had to ask, his hero complex wouldn't leave it alone. He wanted to ask if they knew where Dani was, but the only ones here who knew of the girl were himself and his two friends.

Danny spent the next two days, trapped in his room, like he had any choice. The sheer idleness was driving him stir crazy.

"Come on Danny; relax, the ghost is frozen up solid, you can just relax for once." Jazz said.

"It's not that simple, Jazz. Dan may be frozen but there's a problem of what to do with him in the long run; also I still don't know where Dani or Clockwork are. Clockwork wouldn't have just not come once I woke up. He knew that I would wake up after what? Two weeks? Something is wrong, I just know it."

 **Dani**

Dani was sitting on the floor in front of the ice statue that was Dan. Seeing the ghost frozen in the same position as he was in the last few seconds of the fight with his past self.

All Dani could think to say was, "He's a jerk."

"You have no idea, child." Vlad said walking out from the shadowed darkness part of the room.

Dani shot up like a rocket, twisting around in mid-air, landing light on her feet as she faced Vlad. The expression on her face, at first, showing shock and fear, but then changed to a mask of anger. The other emotions were still there, but hidden. She held her hands in front of her, prepared for anything as both held orbs of ectoplasm, glowing in the shadows casted by the setting sun behind her.

"Settle down, child; I'm not here to fight."

"Yeah, last time you tried to kill me and melt me down into ectoplasmic goop, so sorry if I don't believe you." She was giving off a facade of simply being angry, but on the inside she was a mess. There stood the man she had once thought of as a father. The man who had lied to her and had only pretended to love her. Vlad, who she had hoped to never, ever see again.

Apparently that prayer hadn't been answered just yet.

"I wanted to get a closer look at Daniel." Vlad said walking closer.

"You mean Dan, right?" Danielle asked, glancing for a second over her shoulder, "Jerk's nothing like him...glad I annoyed him so much now."

"Let's hope so. I've done some studies on what possibly happened to him. That Bishop fellow going missing is not a good sign, since he helped prevent that future. It's not a good sign at all."

Dani relaxed a bit, the glow of ectoplasm fading, though her eyes still blazed in the slowly growing darkness, "Do you know who he is? I've never heard of him before...could he be a ghost?"

"Yes and no. Did he say anything about his emotions at all when you were traveling with him?"

"Um.. He said something about not having them? Or not feeling much other than anger, and something about his humanity."

"That confirms my suspicions. A few years ago I created theses ghost gauntlets, that could separate a ghost from a human. Was there an incident that happened?"

"To Dan?" Danielle frowned, knowing that yes there had been, and it had been more than just an incident.

"Everybody died." Danielle turned to see Danny limping over to them, using a crutch to hold himself up. He still wasn't back to full strength, and wasn't officially signed out of the hospital. But he couldn't care less. The words he spoke held a sort of sad venom to them, "Everybody died and I ran to Vlad cause of reasons I'm not going to say and got my ghost half ripped out of me instead of my emotions."

" Sweet Sugar cookies!"

"Why would you want your emotions ripped out?" Danielle asked, not knowing if she actually wanted to know the answer to that.

"Those who feel that they've lost everything, would rather not feel anything at all than just to feel pain. They get desperate to not feel a thing." Vlad said almost like he understood.

"Vlad…" Danny felt his eyes widen. "You tried too…"

The billionaire nodded his head, "When you've spent years in a hospital, died halfway, and lost the chance to win over the woman you loved... I effectively lost everything then."

For a second there was complete silence among the three.

"Anyway Daniel," Vlad continued on as if he had not just revealed perhaps the darkness that was in his past, rather than covering it up with his facade of superiority, "What do you think we should do about him? We cannot just leave him here… though it may not be so bad if he was melting."

Dani had to blink. Did Vlad just attempt at… some sort of a joke? Was the world coming to an end? Dani turned her attention to Danny, who had a rather funny facial expression.

"I don't know Vlad, and as much as I hate to admit it, I kind of agree with you," Danny said looking at Dan, "We need to find a more permanent solution."

Dani hummed, thinking, "You said something about Ghost Gauntlets. What do they do?"

"They'd only take out alternate Vlad's ghost half and then we'd be stuck with two evil psychotic ghosts."

"Could… something make them good again? Somehow? Is there anything like that?" Danny and Vlad shared a look of brilliance.

"Our human halves…"

"No, there's no way to do that."

"I know a ghost, but I'm not sure how we'd get them there without…"

"Perhaps there's another way?"

"There's a lot of risk in attempting this at any angle. We'd have to think of backup plans and backup plans for our backup plans anyway…"

"Maybe human blood?"

"How would that even work? They're going to be full ghosts, Vlad. Even if it's our blood, we're Halfas, not full humans."

"But if we could get the blood, both of ours, and separate the human from the ghost somehow…"

"How do we even know if that'd work?"

"What if we do it as our ghost halves?"

"Would that just make them stronger? Or change anything at all? What if our blood doesn't do anything?"

"Then, if that is our only option, we'd all be as you would put it, little bits of dust not worthy of the stars."

"Hey! I was twelve then and still hyped on being an astronaut."

"And you are not still wanting to be one, Daniel?" Danny grumbled something like a 'whatever' and glared at the older halfa.

Dani watched the verbal tennis match play out, both older halfas on the same wavelength for once in their half-lives. It was the first time she'd seen them like this. Well, to be honest, she didn't know either of them too well. Vlad more than Danny since she'd lived with the guy for the first month or two of her existence. The only thing she could coherently think of right then was that this was a strange, strange thing.

"Is this the apocalypse?" She asked, the words falling out of her mouth before she could check them in her brain-to-mouth filter. "You guys are acting civil to each other. Nice, even. Are you both okay?"

"Yes, Danielle, we're fine, we're... what's the word, brainstorming? Yeah. That."

Danielle almost pouted. Almost. "But...but…" It wasn't right. It was weird and awkward and she didn't understand it. "You're not… It's weird." The last part was said with a whine.

Danny chuckled, "Yeah, I guess it is. Think me being too tired to give a crap about it is a good enough reason?"

"Daniel if you're tired you should rest." Vlad commented, though it sounded more like a "You get your half-ghost butt back to the Hospital right now or else" than anything else.

"Why don't ya make me, Vampy."

"Vampy?"

"You got the fang and the eyes and stuff." Danny explained as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"At least I don't sparkle." Vlad relented.

"Sparkle?" Dani didn't get it.

"It's nothing Dani."

"But I wanna know what you guys are talking about."

"Hopefully you never will."

"Daniel, let's stop talking before we go any further and get you back to the hospital. I'm sure your family and your nurses, not to mention your girlfriend, will be worried once they find out you're up and about like this. How you haven't been caught by the media is a miracle."

"It's called invisibility, Vlad. You should try it sometime."

"C'mon Daniel. Do you want me to drag you back to the hospital? Or should I just give your mother a call and have her pick you up?"

Danny shivered.

"You wouldn't...you actually got her number? Ew. Gross."

"Then leave, I need to consult with your parents about our theory on Phantom, anyway. Good evening, Danielle."

 **CLOCKWORK**

Clockwork was in a mood. It wasn't a bad one per say, not necessarily, but it could be destructive if he was left to his own devices. Which is exactly what the Observants had done. The two who had informed him of his house arrest had been the same two that were usually called on to get him to do or not do something. He couldn't even walk outside without being zapped and it was starting to annoy him. Normally he could just use his time powers to just make it so the blasted glowing green band around his arm didn't exist in the first place, but he did not want to disrupt the timestream. Not now when this timeline was in a state of change, a tipping point that would soon decide what kind of path it would lead. Light, Dark, Order, Chaos, and dozens of others branching off of the main four, though the only ones he saw that could be of any good were that of Light. Chaos would have everyone doing what they wished with nothing to hold them back from turning and stabbing each other in the back. Nothing to stop humans and ghosts from annihilating each other. Order was just as bad, with human or ghost being in complete control of the other. The controlled being little more than slaves. Dark was pretty much a repeat of Dark Dan rising, but with multiple outcomes now. Some where he kills everyone, others where humans and ghosts manage to work together to defeat him after he wipes out a large percentage of both populations.

Yes, Light was the only way he'd ever see this timeline go.

The High Observant could whine and rant all he wanted but Clockwork was not going to allow himself to be ordered around when he very well knew how to do his job, thank you. The timemaster sighed once, not bothering with his illusion anymore. There wasn't much point in it when very few dared to enter your home if they could find it in the first place. The observants sent to watch him, the same ones as always, were bickering and arguing with each other. He knew what it was about. He just didn't bother paying attention. He wouldn't even be watching the timelines right now unless it had something to do with his son. As of now, the most he could gather was that Daniel was recovering, Danielle was back, Vlad was there (He wasn't sure what to think about that, the older half-ghost had done enough damage as it was), and no one really knew what to do with a now frozen Dan. Though Daniel and Vlad have some vague ideas about curing him.

"Is that even possible…" He murmured. He liked the idea, but his vision into the timestream was muddled, foggy. If there was a chance at all that Dan could be cured, he couldn't see it. That bothered him more than anything at the moment.

Zap.

Well, there was that to.

"Timemaster. You should know by now that venturing outside of your...cathedral is futile. Just give it a rest. You'll get out of here soon enough. The High Observant will see the error in keeping you confined here and you can go see your son." The ghost turned and walked over to the viewing room that he used to show others what he saw. There was one large gear-mirror he rarely, if ever used. There hadn't really been a reason. The two observants followed him back to the room, both wondering what he was thinking no doubt.

"You think the High Observant will just let me go? Just like that on good behavior? You know very well the High Observant never changes his mind."

"Only because you're acting like a human child who isn't being allowed to play with his toy anymore." said the High Observant, suddenly appearing in the room.

"High Observant." Clockwork's tone was distantly polite, though a coldness seemed to seep through.

"Timemaster." The High Observant dipped his head in mockingly fake respect.

"You keep me here."

"This is your home."

"My home," Clockwork's jaw tensed. "is with my son. You are keeping me from him."

"He is proving to be a distraction from your job. Which you should know is the reason for your not being allowed to have family in the first place."

"Is that why you ended my mentor?"

"She would have had the timeline destroyed."

"So are you going to end me too?"

"No."

"My son, then."

"He's an abomination, a paradox. He shouldn't exist, no "Halfa" should exist."

There was a moment of silence where the other two observants there snuck away from the two powerful ghosts.

"Get out." The High Observant blinked, his one eye narrowed as confusion set in.

"I'm sorry?"

"Get. Out." All the while Clockwork's lair, the cathedral, began to rumble. The gears, which usually moved without problem, screeched to a halt and the clocks throughout the viewing room ceased to move. Their ticking sounds stopped and a ringing silence replaced it. "Of my home!" Out of instinct and impulse, Clockwork took his staff and swung, smashing the large gear-mirror and shattering the glass. This was a trigger, the Timemaster remembered.

The High Observant's eye went full on red and flew up in the air with other observants joining him and flew into the air in the shape of a circle and bellowed in unison, "Clockwork this is the final straw! I have had enough of your insolence since you first saved that human child, who you now insist on calling him your son. We the Observants are now forced to punish you in the most severe way possible. We will slowly and painfully drain you of power and life energy till you do not exist, and then re-create our own time ghost who has no free-will and no memory of its last life."

They then shot burning red and green chains at each limb that began the draining. Clockwork's eyes flew wide.

"NO! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING?! A TIMEMASTER, A TIME GHOST CANNOT SIMPLY BE CREATED! YOU'RE GOING AGAINST TIME ITSELF! YOU ARE DESTROYING BOTH WORLDS IF YOU DO THIS! YOU DESTROY ME AND THE TIMESTREAM WHICH I AM MEANT TO LOOK AFTER WILL SPIRAL! You are very, very lucky that I was there to take my mentor's place. If not for that then the timestream would have fallen into Chaos a long, long time ago."

"You should have thought about that before you destroyed the Mirror of Time."

"You're a leech. You feed off the power your position brings. You do nothing as everyone else does your work for you. You destroyed, killed, drained Soothsayer, my mentor, of her afterlife because she did not fit to your idea of Order…" The time ghost had to pause, drawing breath where he should have no need. "You, who watches and does nothing to stop destruction that you yourself are to blame for. You, who does not care about the lives and afterlives of anyone but yourself. You, High Observant, are a fool," Clockwork hissed, struggling to remain standing, much less conscious. "and I will be the one watching as you realize too late that no one is responsible for your downfall but yourself…. Ahhh!"

"Then what, oh Timemaster, must be done for one like yourself to be created?" The High Observant crooned with fake concern. There was no reply, but the ghost had been given his answer before this even started. "Perhaps, that little abomination you seem to be attached to?"

Clockwork yelled and tried to unsuccessfully strangle High Observant. The chains glowed brighter as they drained more and more of his energy. His blood and his energy were unique among ghosts. Not only did it look different from the usual green, but the two were one and the same for him whereas they were separate in all other ghosts. The only reason why Daniel's blood wasn't different when in ghost form was, first and foremost, the fact that his power as a time ghost was only just now beginning to awaken. It did not matter if he was only half-ghost.

"Have a nice afterlife, Timemaster. Enjoy it while it lasts." High Observant cackles as he leaves Clockwork to be drained by the Blood Chains. He had an abomination to kill.


	7. Chapter 6- A War has Started

We past the 1,000 view mark! Thank you guys soooo much! I'm really loving the... well, love you guys you have for this story especially they reviews. I squeal with delight every time I see that one of you guys see send me one.

 **DANNY**

Yawning, Danny stretched and greeted the afternoon with a little smile on his face. Granted, he had been getting an uneasy feeling for the past few days, but he tried not to let that bother him. Just like he tried not to let Clockwork's absence upset him. He had been sleeping most of the morning, having been awake all last night thinking. But this last dream shook him to his ghostly core and he wasn't sure what to make of it. The dream itself had been unclear, as if there was some kind of fog in his mind keeping him from thinking straight. Clockwork had been there, glowing chains holding him down as he tried and failed to free himself. Occasionally the time ghost would say something, but whatever it was, Danny couldn't hear. There was a cackle of someone nearby, but Danny found he couldn't move to see who it was.

It was horrible since Clockwork had been in pain and he couldn't do anything about it. One thing nagged at him though, even after he woke up and was moving around. Was the dream real? Lately, his dreams had the capability of showing him what could happen in the future. Not anything like what Clockwork could do, since the ghost could make sense of what he saw. All Danny could do was see, write it down somewhere so he wouldn't forget it, and see how things went. If it happened, it happened, whatever the dream showed him.

It was only his dreams to, not when he was awake.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, worry shoved to a corner of his mind, the half-ghost teen made his way out of his room. He'd been released yesterday from the hospital, much to his relief. He was "being monitored" by his parents so that if they thought he had to go to the hospital yet again, he was in no position to argue. Whatever the reason may be.

"Danny, what's the matter sweetie?" Maddie asked noticed the distant look on his face as they went to the Fenton RV.

Danny put up a smile and replied, "It's nothing Mom. I just had a weird dream last night that's all."

"You sure sweetie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"If you're sure…."

"The boy's fine Maddie. Give him some room to breathe." Jack said putting his hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Fine. Though we are going to have a talk with you about stuff at the house, when you went missing for a little bit a few days ago. No arguments. Deal?"

"Yes, fine. Whatever Mom." If Danny were to be completely honest with himself, he was not fine, he didn't know if he'd ever be fine again emotionally, and there was no way that he'd be able to outright lie to anyone anymore. Half truths and exaggerations, sure, but lying? Not a chance. As far as not being fine emotionally went, he still could hear echoes of what Dan had thrown at him during their fight, and could still see flashes of his alternate self's memory. He'd never be able to stand seeing fire and explosions anymore. Not without the bone crushing pain and loneliness that had followed in that timeline. Not after what almost happened in his own.

If his parents knowing something, anything, about what had happened in that timeline, about Dan in general, would help them all, then maybe he ought to tell them. Maybe he could get passed the fear not of Dan himself because he realized it wasn't Dan he'd been so afraid of, but of the death and the pain. The depression and you're-alone-now-there's-no-one-else. He couldn't stand that becoming reality. So he was afraid of Dan because of what Dan represented and all the destruction and death he left behind.

When they got home, Danny hoped that his parents would forget the conversation that they wanted to have; especially his mother.

But with his luck, the moment his mother closed the door the interrogation began.

"Now, Daniel Fenton, you will tell your father and I, where you went when you went missing at the hospital and how you even got that hurt when you weren't even near the fighting. And don't you dare run away and lie to me."

Oh boy, there was no getting out of this one it seems. Maybe he could tell a partial truth? Or tell the truth but not everything?

"I was near the fighting, mom. I...Dan, he...Phantom needed all the help he could get and Sam had been trapped. I couldn't just leave her there so that Dan could kill her!" Both statements were true but Phantom did not get the help he had needed until after the fight. Sam dying, on the other hand, was one of, if not THE worst thing that could've happened. If it had? Danny didn't want to think about that.

"Really? Nobody saw you there, you disappeared. Now you are going to tell me the truth, and you're actually going to tell me your interest in that ghost. I know you went to see the ghost a few nights ago . Danny….Please."

Danny shuffled his feet and sighed.

"Because he's me," Danny said then transformed into Danny Phantom.

It was as if time had stopped. Danny saw his mom's eyes widen as she not only put the pieces together, but also realized that she'd been hunting down her own son.

"How could you have...how could you stand to be in the same house as us, son? With all the talk we did." Jack couldn't even find it in him to be happy about the fact that his son had been a hero this whole time. A hero that half of Amity Park, including themselves until recently, borderline hated and feared because he was thought to be a ghost.

"You're a ghost?" Danny shook his head.

"Half. Don't ask how because even I don't know how it works. It just does and I'm glad I'm still alive, sort of."

"It was the accident… wasn't it?"

Danny found himself only able to nod his head, mind half lost in thought.

"Oh, honey" Maddie rushed over to Danny and gave him a hug.

Danny could only give a bitter, sad smile before he stepped back and began his tale.

"So what were you saying about that evil ghost being you?"

"He's me, mom. Me from an alternate timeline because I _cheated_ on a _test_ that was "going to decide what I'd do for the rest of my life". More or less. You...God. Mom, Dad, you DIED. You, Jazz, Sam, Tucker. Even my English teacher. You all DIED and I couldn't do ANYTHING and…"

Maddie put her arms on his shoulders and said, "Well we're all still alive so what happened?"

If this had been any happier a conversation, Danny could've thought to make a joke about letting him finish, but this wasn't so he didn't. "I went to Vlad, he's like me, you know." HA! If he had to reveal himself then Vlad would have to deal with it too.

There was a knock at the door, before Jack opened the door and what do you know, Vlad was there waiting to be let in.

"Oh hey, there he is now. Now you two can ask him all the questions you want about half-ghosts,"

"WHAT?" Vlad squawked.

"And I will go and catch up with Jazz."

Maddie frowned, catching her son by the back of his shirt. "Oh no. You're not getting out of this that easily, mister."

Oh boy.

Danny just grumbled to himself, tuning out Vlad's rant. He almost had that one.

"Vladdy!"

"Hello. Jack." Ouch. The poor guy sounded as if he were about to go to his own funeral, "Oh, walnuts."

"Hey Uncle Vlad."

Vlad gives Danny a murderous glare and pulls him into the kitchen to talk privately.

"You told them." He hissed, not wanting Jack, much less Maddie, to overhear.

Danny shrugged. "Not like I had a choice, or much of a choice to make. I'd rather they live, thank you."

"You think that they would die if they didn't know?"

"You saw Dan. You know how half the Zone hates me for existing. Hey, maybe I should tell them your "evil master plan" and see what they think."

The elder half-ghost growled. "No. I see your point. Though why must you drag me into this as well?"

"Hey, if my secret's out, yours is too. Or did you forget about that?"

They re-entered the family room and joined Maddie and Jack. Much to Vlad's dismay, they did end up asking a lot about half-ghosts, yet since Danny seemed to defy logic, physics, and just about everything else, some of those questions were re-directed onto him.

"Danny? What happened when Ph..you stole all that stuff?" Questions like that, apparently.

"You already know about Dan so why not? Mind Control. And that incident with the mayor? He was being overshadowed."

"And the suit?"

"Suit? Oh you mean when Pariah...oh yeah. That. You didn't get it back?"

They shook their heads.

"Oops. The suit worked though. Actually most of all of your gadgets work. I use the thermos most of all of them. Near daily basis….multiple times a day trying to get them back to the Zone."

"You know those things weren't designed for long-term containment right?" Danny frowned.

"Do you think that's how Dan got out?" Vlad asked.

"We'd have to ask Mr. Bishop about that." Danny replied, getting the odd something's-not-right feeling again, "On that topic, I'm starting to worry. I've been thinking that there's more to the dream that I had last night."

"What do you mean by that Danny?"

Might as well get straight to the point as he had with everything else in this conversation. If Clockwork really was in some kind of danger, then he just wasted hours of time already. "Mr. Bishop's job is demanding, his employers are as corrupt as, well, you get the idea. They don't like the fact that I'm alive because of the whole Dan incident, or that I exist at all. Mr. Bishop...his main boss, I don't even know how to...His boss was, and maybe is right now, trying to kill him." There, he said it, yet it didn't make him feel any better having other people in on anything about Clockwork's afterlife. The ghost was a private guy by nature, Danny assumed even before he had died. But now that afterlife could be on the line and there was no way Danny was going to just leave his mentor like that.

" is a ghost too I assume." Maddie concluded.

"Yeah. Somehow he's the reason I didn't die in the accident. According to him I would've died from that amount of ecto-radiation or the amount of electricity if he didn't give me some of his ghost DNA."

"A quick death or a slow one." Vlad looked as if he were actually seeing how that would've happened.

"Yes."

"So," Jack looked a little confused. "He's like a second dad?"

Danny shifted from one foot to the other. "I guess so. The way he explained it made that idea make sense. And Dad, you are not being replaced. No way that'd happen, ever." With this he shot a quick, pointed look at Vlad who noticed, but merely looked away. If he was upset by this, the elder half-ghost didn't show it. "I think, with how Dan came about, that I have a second set of DNA, Clockwork's, and that'd be how my ghost half can be separate from me. And maybe why he looks how he does on top of having absorbed Vlad's ghost half."

"Which would explain how Dan went mad. Not just out of grief, he would've still had something resembling humanity even then. But overshadowing and absorbing my ghost half, with both being practically polar opposites…"

"No wonder he practically destroyed the world in his timeline. His mind was royally messed up."

"Do you still think it's possible to fix him?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Maddie frowned briefly, before her expression turned blank. "For now, I can't believe I'm saying this, but, we have a ghost's afterlife to save."

 **CLOCKWORK**

Back in Clockwork Tower, the High Observant eye gleamed, as one with a mouth would smile evilly, "Just as I hoped; the sight given to him from your DNA will prove to be his and your own undoing. Would you like to know, Timemaster, what I plan to do when he gets here? I plan on ending you with him watching. I plan to see just how he got his sight from you, how such a paradox continues to exist. Then? Then I take that sight for myself and end him too. No one would dare to go against me then, for I'd see it before it even happens. I could even see what the human world has to offer, see what your so-called son liked so much about it."

"Don't you dare touch him," Clockwork said in a weak voice.

"Ha! You can barely speak, let alone move. What could you do to stop me, Timemaster? You do not have your staff with you to aid your control over time, and you're dying as I speak!"

"Your arrogance is what Daniel will use against you. Your arrogance and...your lust for power *cough*."

"Oh do stop talking Timemaster, let us enjoy the show. Hahaha!" HO demands before turning back to the Fentons and Co. at work.

 **DANNY**

The Fentons along with the help of Vlad as mayor, called a town meeting of Amity Park to ask for help of rescuing /Clockwork.

"Mom," Danny whispered to her, "You do know you can't tell them that Vlad and I are half-ghosts right?"

"Of course, I know Danny. If certain people in Amity knew that you were Phantom, they'd ask for your head out of fear of, what did you call him, Dark Dan being a reality in their future."

Danny nodded, "Thanks Mom." It wasn't the entire reason for _his_ wanting to not be revealed, but it would have to do.

You could hear Vlad begin the announcement to the crowd due to the reason of the meeting, "Good afternoon fellow citizens of Amity Park. I have called you all here to request something of those eligible to fight," There was a murmur among the crowd about what that might be about; Vlad continued, "Phantom has come to the fentons and myself for help. Mr. John Bishop, the man that saved our city from that evil phantom that was after Danny fenton, was a ghost and Danny Phantom's father." Silence reigned, "I cannot stress enough how important this is that I'm about to ask of you. So to explain this more thoroughly, I will ask Phantom to come out and say what we plan to do."

Danny transformed and once the blue rings finished, he walked out on the platform. Thankfully no one in the crowd applauded which Danny appreciated for it wasn't the time for fan applause.

"Thank you citizens of Amity Park for coming out here to hear me out. As you heard from Mayor Masters, my only family, my father, who is known as John Bishop, or Clockwork, is in trouble; he's also known as the ghost of time so he's important not just to me but to the world as a whole. The people who he works for is doing something to him that's killing him, but there's too many of them for me to handle on my own and I need your help. You don't have to help me if you don't want to, I'm only asking help from those who are willing. Eh!" He paused, seeing some kids who couldn't even be teenagers yet raising their hands. "No one under fourteen!"

"Aw!" Those very same children began pouting.

"Ahem… Anyway, those who are considered senior citizens need to stay in Amity as well, I want to save a life, not damn more."

They all nodded in unison, understanding the seriousness of the situation.

"Now here's the plan…"

A few days past and Danny was getting anxious to when they'd leave for the ghost zone, he even got to the point where he'd be pacing across the entire house.

"Danny will you relax, we are leaving in a few hours. We'll get there in time for Clockwork, we even have Vlad searching the ghost zone those who are not so terribly bad that would be willing to help save Clockwork as well," Sam said trying to get him to snap out of whatever he was in and shoved him out the door, "Now get out of the house and go as Phantom to help with the training while your parents and Tuck are making enough weapons for everybody that signed up."

Danny turned around and faced Sam in the doorway and kissed her in an embrace then said, "Thank you Sam. I still can't believe all that Vald's doing for us though. Then staying here to figure out the dilemma with Dan."

"What? Do you think he's up to something?"

"No. He wouldn't risk it. Not with the fact that my mom knows that he's a half-ghost. She'd go off on him the minute she suspects something. Or, at least, that's the vibe I'm getting from her whenever Vlad's around. One thing's for sure, after all this, him and my parents are going to have a long discussion about him being half-ghost. Especially between him and my dad, because of that accident when they were in college."

"Then you have nothing to worry about-"

"Sam. I am about to be guiding these people, including you, to fight off who knows how many ghosts. There's always injuries in my major fights, so to think that these people could be hurt. Because of me. Sam I…"

With a crack Sam slapped Danny across the face, and yelled, "DANIEL JAMES PHANTOM! DON'T YOU DARE BLAME YOURSELF FOR THIS! THESE PEOPLE MADE THEIR OWN DECISION TO BE HERE! THEY MADE THEIR OWN DECISION TO FIGHT! NOT EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT, NO MATTER WHAT YOU SEEM TO BELIEVE!"

Danny raised a hand to where she'd slapped him. It stung, but he ignored the slight pain easily, "Sam. Everyone would always blame me for nearly everything that went wrong up until recently. It's been drilled into my head even since before I died. It's hard to stop thinking this way, I'm sorry. I know, you're right, but it's going to, *ahem* haunt me until I know everyone has come out of this safe and sound."

"Change. Now."

"Fine. Fine. I'm going."

So Danny changed and headed out the door, passing by people who had paused to listen to the conversation that had occurred. Well, argument would be a better word, but Danny ignored them either way. He had to see his mom before she grew worried as to what was taking him so long.

"Danny there you are. I was wondering when you were going to show up." Maddie Fenton said to him as he flew down into the park.

"Yeah, sorry about that. A little bit of the nerves were getting to me. I'm fine now though." He glanced over to some of the people who were being taught how to use ecto-guns from Jack, wincing when one almost fired before they were supposed to, "You think it's okay for Jack to handle the ecto-guns? From what I experienced he doesn't have the best aim."

Maddie huffed, "Yeah well, unless you'd rather handle the ecto-guns and Jack took up training people with Fenton Thermoses."

"Uhh…"

"That's what I thought."

"Make sure Jazz keeps her thermos away from me." Danny shudders. "Do not wanna get stuck in there for the nth time."

Maddie chuckled, "Don't worry I'll keep an eye on her. Mind telling me about that after this?"

Danny winced, "Ah, no thank you. Me and Jazz promised to never speak of it."

Danny felt a ring in his ear. It was someone calling him on his Fenton Phone, "Daniel. I'm back. Meet me in the Fenton basement. We have some news."

"You think you can hold out with these people for a few minutes? I need to talk to Vlad." Danny asked with a short sigh. Maddie nodded her head.

"You know if he tries anything….foolish, you can tell me and I'll set him straight, right?"

Danny rolled his eyes, though he did smile, "Yeah, I know mom. Where do you think I get my fighting skills from?"

Danny flew off and put on a serious face, "Alright Vlad. I'm on my way. What kind of party did you bring?"

"The kind that has dragons, four-armed mythological figures, the big guns, you know the usual." Vlad spoke back, not missing a beat.

"Better hope they brought the punch."

"They did and Frostbite came with them. He may be able to help with your soul searching issue."

That definitely grabbed Danny's attention, "Frostbite? How would that help with Dan? I mean he helped me out with my ice powers and all but I thought they...I'm stupid. His people specialize in medicine and science. Tell him he's hired."

Danny heard deep chuckle in the background.

"Get here soon. You and the others have only a few hours till you all have to get ready to leave."

"On it." Through the Fenton Phones he relayed the message to his mom, Tucker, Sam, and anyone else who had been given them. "We leave in four hours."


	8. Chapter 7: Hopelessly Outgunned

DANNY's POV

Danny arrived and fazed through the walls and went directly into the basement. Seeing all his ghostly allies including Frostbite who had information that could help with Dan.

"Hello, Frostbite. It's good to see you again."

"As with you, Great One. Though I wish it was under better circumstances."

Danny solemnly nodded at this one, "So Frostbite, what ideas do you have on our situation with Dan?"

"Other than what Plasmius has told me, there is not much that comes to mind. If your plans were to fail...I fear that may be all we can do as far as saving this...Dark One. The only way that might help us is a myth that I heard long ago when I was young. Of When ghosts used to transfer their energy to mortal humans who they deemed worthy of their power. Some humans would sometimes lose their humanity in the process."

"Well did they ever get their humanity back?"

"Only those who could concoct a certain potion can regain it, but what goes into that potion...I'm sorry but you'd be better off not trying."

Danny scowled, "Why not?"

"Humanity is more than just emotions. It is a life, it is a soul, something that this Dark One clearly gave up long ago. In order to give back a life, you must take one."

"What?! No, no. No way. There has to be some other way of making that potion!" Frostbite looked down, shaking his head.

"There is no other way, Great One. That is the price. You are lucky, for truly bringing the dead to life, those who have moved on, is a task no one, human or ghost, is capable of."

"We really just need to give him human compassion. Isn't that, like, the root of humanity or something?"

"If that is the case," Frostbite looked up now, looking less grim, "you'll need two things. Phoenix tears, to heal his mind, spirit, and reignite the fire in his heart. If he is t to be restored, he'll need to find his human Will and fight to live or he'd be destroyed and yes that even means his ghost life. He wouldn't even move on to merge with his human self in Eternity." Frostbite paused at this point, letting the information sink in, "However, if he is only given the tears, he would continue to change until nothing of his ghost self remains. He would be completely human. You will need something to cancel out the tears. Something of death to counter the life of the Phoenix."

"What if we give him my ectoplasm at the very end, Like Clockwork did for me?" Pandora blinked in surprise.

"I'm sorry did you say something, child? I could've sworn you just said Clockwork gave his ectoplasm to you."

"Yes, Pandora you did. That's how I became half ghost in my um…. accident."

"Anyway how do we find this phoenix of yours, Frostbite?" Vlad asked, wanting to return to the matter at hand and not waste anymore time.

"Oh, that is not something I can answer, Great One. The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth, connected to both life and death, much like a half-ghost and yet in a completely different way. Though I have been told that, only one pure of heart and connected to time in some way, could ever hope to find it. What I know for sure is that it has volcanoes and is called " _Vita Monte Ignis_ ", also known as _Life mountain of fire_ in english.

"Achoo!" Dani fell from the ceiling, "Hello, everyone."

Vlad's expression turned thoughtful as he saw Danielle. Danny could almost see the gears turning in the billionaire's head.

"You can't seriously be thinking what I think you're thinking, Vlad."

"Well so long as the journey isn't "perilous" or overly dangerous, yes I am seriously thinking what you think I'm thinking."

"But you can't just, we can't just….there's VOLCANOES. Fire and lava and HEAT! Do you know what heat does to ice cored ghosts? Even half-ghosts whose core hasn't matured fully to handle their element?!"

"Hello? I'm right here!" Dani floated off the ground, "If I have to do it, I'll do it. Do I wanna die fully? Realms, no. But there's gotta be some way that I won't...right? I'll be fine, Danny. You're concern is appreciated though."

"Fine. Fine. You can bet your ghostly tail that I will likely go mad with worry if you aren't back soon, right? Not even Dan would stop me going out to find you. I'll never know how you're my clone." Danny shook his head, "Shit! I need to leave. Vlad can you bring them to my parents in the park, I need to go get the Infi-Map. Otherwise we'd never get everyone into the Ghost Zone. Dani bring Frostbite to Dan"

"What am I the Delivery man, Fenton?" Vlad muttered.

"Nope. You're the messenger. Nobody's allowed to shoot the messenger." This only served to make Vlad confused. "Daniel what are you talking about-"

"Sorry can't answer that! Danielle, you stay safe. Frostbite, I really hope the tears aren't necessary. Everyone else, good luck." Danny then flew upward disappearing from view.

Later Danny arrived at the park joining everyone going on the mission, Infi-map in hand.

"Danny what is that in your hand?" Jack asked looking at the curious looking scroll

"Oh this is the Infi-map, it's our ticket to the Ghost Zone. No other way to get everyone there. Everyone ready?"

The crowd all nodded.

"Alright then, those who are ground troops, follow Jack into the Fenton ops. Others you know your specific vehicle."follow jack into the Fenton Ops center, everyone else you know your specific vehicle, air or otherwise. I'll be flying in front of you all with the ghosts trailing behind me. Once we arrive at Clockwork Tower it's going to be fast, please be safe all you, good luck," Danny announced before opening the map.

Danny unrolled it and focused his energy on Clockwork which opened one portal large enough to fit even the Ops center. They then all fly through the portal after Danny. . .

Once arriving at the other end of the portal everyone was quiet.

"Something's strange." Danny thought to himself as one by one arrived.

"Sam. Send a message to everyone to land as close to the tower as they can, I'm going to start heading into the tower to find Clockwork."

"Danny?"

"Yes Sam?"

"Be careful in there we'll head in as soon as everyone exits their ship. I want your Fenton Phone on so we'll run in case there's trouble before everyone ready."

"Alright Sam. Love you."

"Love you too."

Entering the tower, the alarm bells that had been ringing in his head intensified. There was no sound, which was highly unusual since there was usually the ticking sounds of hundreds of clocks and clinking of gear mirrors throughout the entire building. Every ounce of common sense, however, flew out the window when he could see Clockwork. Chained and unmoving, if the Master of Time hadn't been a ghost Danny would've thought he was dead. He looked more frail than his future form. The fact that there was ectoplasm around him in puddles, only made Danny feel nauseous. Running over to his mentor, ghost-guardian and second father, Danny nearly stopped breathing when the little fact that the ectoplasm was gold registered in his head.

"Clockwork?" He asked, hoping to get some reaction. "Clockwork! It's me, Daniel. I'm here. I'm going to get us out of here. Just hold on and Frostbite will be able to patch you up, good as new." Warmth filled his eyes and the half-ghost had to blink furiously to keep his vision clear enough to see what he was doing. Trying to break, or even loosen the chains while looking desperately for a key of some sort, if there was one, Danny fought back the lump forming in his throat.

"Danny?" Clockwork weakly looked up, unable to even groan at the pain when he moved his head, "What are you doing here? You can't be here! The High Observant…" Clockwork fell into a coughing fit, one that shook his entire body, "You can't destroy the chains yourself. It's something The High Observant designed. I couldn't even break them when he first attacked me with them."

"Then I guess we really are up for a fight then." Danny muttered, more to himself and to Sam through the Fenton Phones than to Clockwork.

"No!" More coughing, harsher this time than the last, "That's what he wants. You can't…"

"Clockwork…."

"It's too late for either of you, Phantom. If you got here sooner then maybe you could've saved him, but now you're mine." High Observant chided to Danny as he and the other Observants came out of the shadows.

"I. Belong. To no one." Danny growled. "Let alone an eyesore, like you. Sam! Now!"

 **DANI**

I've come this far, Dani thought as she gazed up at the view of several volcanoes clustered together. Lava was steadily, slowly streaming out of several, while smoke, ash and other debris bellowed occasionally from the rest. Pulling her shirt up to cover her mouth so she didn't accidentally inhale anything, the girl bit her lip. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, her mind supplied her with the thought. Maybe I should turn back? No. I have to do this. If I don't and the other ideas for curing Dan fail...the young half-ghost nearly shivered despite the heat. Danny couldn't keep the jerk on ice forever. He'd break free at some point or another, and if that happened when no one else was around to try and contain him, well, that would be a very bad day.

Taking a breath, Dani began her search. Frostbite, before she'd left, had told her that the Phoenix may not live on any of the volcanoes themselves. It could be that it made its home in the surrounding area, which meant Dani had a lot of ground to cover.

"Caw!"

Dani looked above her and saw the phoenix in flight hovering, almost as it was waiting for her.

"Well that was easy."

"Caw!"

"Hello. What's your name? I'm Dani."

"Caw!"

"Iggi? Cool name. Hey I was wondering if you could help me. My friend needs your help. He's hurt and needs your tears."

"Caw?"

"Well he's actually kind of a jerk. You know, mean and nasty, but it's...well it's kinda his fault. I mean, ah, I'll just explain that on the way. Will you help?"

"Caw. Caw?"

"Um, In the human world. In a place called Amity Park."

"Caw?"

"Yes it is nice there, when ghosts aren't trying to wreck everything or mess people up...or wreck Danny's day."

"Caw?"

"Danny's cool. He's my, um, cousin. Yeah. I think you'll like him." The Phoenix landed on her shoulder, trilled out one of the most beautiful bird songs Dani had ever heard, and then there was a flash of heat, fire and light. It only lasted a few seconds, and when it was over Dani found herself and the Phoenix in the middle of the park, scorched grass surrounding her feet.

"Do you think we should wait here?"

"Caw?"

"Dan, the jerk, is a ghost popsicle thanks to Danny. Danny and a bunch of other people and ghosts are going to try and help out Clockwork."

"Caw? Caw."

"You know him? Well I guess I shouldn't surprised. He's kind of trapped right now by this High Observant dude who is another major jerk, and Danny is going to go free him."

"CAW?! Caw, Caw, Caw!"

"Woah, woah. Slow down I can barely understand you. What is this about the High Observant and why do you look like you'll burst into flame at any moment?"

"Caw! Caw caw, caw!"

Dani paled. "Well yeah. I can see why you're mad now. Um...should we go there and try to help them out?"

"Caw…."

"Why is is that only pure-hearted people can find you again? From what I'm hearing you have quite a vicious mind there."

"CAW!"

"Ow, ow. Okay, fine. Just don't nearly burst my eardrums next time."

"Caw?"

"Dan and Frostbite are this way." Dani said, flying towards the Fenton house.

Arriving in the lab with Iggi , the Phoenix saw that Frostbite's back was turned to them. Seeing that he was only had to fix up that one jerk that was currently still a block of ice, the firebird decided to have a bit of fun. Flying silently until she, for the Phoenix was in fact female, was hovering just behind the ice yeti, the Phoenix let out a loud squawk. Startled and yelping like a kicked puppy, Frostbite jumped from his chair.

"Goodness! Little One what happened with just getting the tears and coming back, and how do you not have any burns?"

"Iggi," Dani started out, stressing the Phoenix's name, "is my friend. She would never hurt me."

"Impossible."

"Why thank you."

"Well then, can Iggi supply her tears in that vial on the table? Have there be enough for half the vial if not a little more. We may need some tears for another situation, and if I can mix it with something or modify it to where it doesn't make ghosts turn human again, I could possibly use it to heal Clockwork as well."

"Do you mind Iggi?"

"Caw."

"Thanks."

Iggi perched on the table and blinked a few times. It took about a minute, but soon the vial was filled three quarters full.

"Thank you, Iggi. That's more than enough. Now it's time for me release Dan so we can place him onto the cot."

Frostbite walked over to Dan and moved his right index claw down from the top of block until it cracked with Dan falling on the floor unconscious. From there, the yeti heaved the ghost onto the table, and moved his jaw downward and poured about half of what was in the vial into his mouth.

Almost immediately began convulsing on the cot as physical features as fazed between human and ghost very quickly, this was visible as his body and mind fought itself for survival. Once the convulsing slowed down, and the human in him regained control for the first time in ten years, Frostbite decided add Danny's ecto into Dan's mouth. Nothing happened except a quick phase of his new ghost half then returned finally as human, as sign that he's back to being half ghost. That has humanity.

 **DAN**

Sometime later maybe a few hours later, Dan woke up slowly from the nightmare that he thought he had, the one in which he plagued Amity Park for ten years from something that he normally fought against to protect his home from.

"Dan! You're awake! I can't believe it worked!" he heard from a girl sitting to his right.

At first his sight was blurry, but it gradually grew clear, "Dani? It wasn't a nightmare was it? Me being evil?"

Dani's smile wavered, "Yeah, it wasn't. But now you can be a hero again. Isn't that great?"

Dan frowned, "I don't know if I can be. I don't know how."

Dani was now frowning too, " What do you mean you don't think you can be? You care about your mistakes right?"

"Yes, of course I do I . . ."

"Now why is that?"

"My humanity. Wait, I have it back?"

"Yep and that means you care about lives and that's what heroes do. Besides Danny's going to need your help along with everyone else."

"Wait, what do you mean? Where is everyone? Where'd I - or I mean Danny go?"

"At Clockwork's tower to save him from the observants."

"Damn them! It's a trap. I knew High Observant let me out of that thermos for a reason. It was a trap all along; He wanted to prove that Clockwork was compromised when it came to Danny, and now he has proof. He'll destroy them both if he has the chance. I need to leave now,"Dan leapt off of the cot but stumbled as he tried to hurry out the door, only to be stopped by Frostbite.

"Phantom, halt. You are still recovering from the phoenix tears. You must rest."

"You want me to rest while Danny, who _just so happens_ to be my _younger self_ , could be out there right now getting himself killed by a One-eyed bast-er jerk?! I don't think so, Frosty. Clockwork could die if he stays out there much longer either way so AT LEAST let me go out to get him and bring him back!"

"And do you believe you have the strength to go, fight through the battle to reach the Time Master, and still have enough to not only free him but have a means to travel back safely? I've heard you can create portals, but those take large amounts of energy and Observants could follow you through. It is too risky a move to attempt!"

"But I can't just sit here and do NOTHING! There must be something that I can do. ANYTHING! Isn't that why you brought me BACK?"

"Danny told me once, while he was recovering from your attack, that villains are never given second chances." Dani spoke up from where she stood, Iggi perched upon her shoulder, "and are defeated, never redeemed. Danny never wanted to believe that, and gave Vlad a second chance. Now he is giving you one. Isn't there something he can do, Frostbite?" The yeti hummed.

"Well, there may be a way," Frostbite pondered while stroking his beard.

 **DAN**

Back at the battle, everyone was spread out fighting the thousands of observants while Danny solely focused all his energy and power on the High Observant. Mainly due to the fact that said ghost was trying to kill him.

"Vlad, go and help Danny!" Maddie hollered at him.

"Kind of preoccupied at the moment. " Vlad called back at Maddie after firing a shield blast at the Observants that piled on him.

"IT IS TOO LATE, HALFA!" The High Observant cackled, somehow, as he sent attack after attack at Danny. The teen could do nothing but dodge for now, or shield himself from attacks he couldn't evade in time. The one-eyed ghost had gotten stronger with every minute that ticked by from the energy he'd drained from Clockwork. "I AM NOW THE MOST POWERFUL GHOST TO EXIST! JUST GIVE UP NOW AND I WILL MAKE YOUR DEATH QUICK!" Oh the ghost would make his death quick, Danny knew that much. However he also knew that said death would be anything but painless.

Out of nowhere HO was flung backwards with a huge ectoblast.

"I don't think so, one-eye," Dan said appearing from the the entrance, "You mess with him, then you mess with me." Dan moved in between the High Observant and Danny, smirking, "And we all know you don't mess with me."

"YOU!"

"Yes, I know, I'm awesome aren't I? Now unless you've suddenly changed your mind about this whole mess, I would like to know when you scheduled your beat-down. I could've sworn it was set for today." Here he paused for a moment to shrug his shoulders, seeming nonchalant, "I was always bad at math, but I'm sure you're the one to beat up. No one else here I hate."

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TRAPPED! CAGED! DESTROYED!"

"Oh, was that the reason why you let me out of the Thermos then? I guess I should congratulate you on your epic failure and maybe even give you a present. Would you like a fist with a side of ectoplasm, or a snow day? I'll let you pick."

The HO just growled.

"You want both?" Dan asked, faking surprise, "Well I can't just let you be disappointed. WELCOME TO YOUR NIGHTMARE, ONE-EYE, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER WITH YOUR AFTERLIFE!"

Danny, who had just let his shield down to rush over to Clockwork and try to free him again, had to throw the shield back up over them both. If not, then they would've been hit by a one-eyed jerk who got thrown in their direction. Even if the HO simply sailed over their heads, the impact that the ghost made in the wall sent debris flying, thus the need for the shield.

"Is it bad that I want to look like Dan when I'm older?" Danny mused to himself as he worked on breaking one of the chains.

Clockwork twitched.

"Yeah, I guess it's not so bad. Wonder what Sam will think." Another twitch and a glare. "Sorry." Danny continued to attempt different ways breaking the chains.

Danny noticed something odd about the chains since Dan started the beating on High Observant. They seemed not as bright of a glow as before. Wait, were the the strength of the chains connected to High Observant's Power?

"Dan! Keep on pounding him! His power is connected to the strength of the chains!"

Dan's response: A laugh that echoed for miles outside the tower, sending chills down the spines of everyone who heard it.

Everyone, including the observants stopped fighting for a second, and turned their heads toward Dan and High Observants.

"This is gonna be fun. Hey Danny how about you invite Fruitloop over here. He's missing out! This is a great stress reliever too and besides if you're right, then the only way for those chains to disappear is to turn HO into a black eye."

"I'M NOT A FRUIT….Oh never mind. Just give me a minute to get over there. Some things never change."

Danny winced as Dan continued to throw the High Observant around, occasionally having to avoid an ectoblast.

"Better hurry up Vladdy!" Dan called out as he dropped an elbow right into the High Observants eye.

"I'll be back, Clockwork," Danny said stepping away from him but keeping the shield above the Time Ghost.

Meanwhile, Dan continued with the pounding until receiving a desperate shot to the gut from HO.

"That's not very nice, Eyeball." Dan then swung a ectofist at HO's head. "Heh. And you said you were now the strongest ghost? Geez, the Box Ghost has more powers than you do."

High Observant glared at Dan with intense hatred.

"Ooo, the scary eye. Whatever will I do?" Dan mocked the High Observant, grinning.

"Absolutely nothing. " HO said with a snap of his fingers.

All of a sudden the Observants grabbed hold of their heads and began screaming.

"What in the world?" Sam said lowering her blaster.

The observants then shriveled up like green raisins.

"Tucker, any ideas? " Sam asked him.

"Not sure, Sam. But one thing is for sure, their ecto energy went somewhere."

High Observant gleamed in excitement for the death to those blasted phantoms. The ecto-energy that he drained from those mindless pawns of his that have been in his control since he was made High Observant, all those years ago, feel so delicious. He flexed the fingers in his hand forming a dense ecto-energy ball that will certainly turn the tide of the battle into his favor.

"Damn. I never thought I'd feel bad for those green toads. Hey V-Man! Is your age catching up to you? I thought you'd only be a minute!" Dan called before turning invisible. Attacking up front was not the best option. If he was going to get anything done, well, he could always try stabbing the jerk in the back. Besides, if he was going to call himself a Phantom, he might as well fight like one.

 **DANNY**

"And how do you propose we stop...this?" Vlad asked as he joined in the fight. Danny didn't have an answer. Dan was attacking the High Observant but now his attacks were either being blocked or that even hit High Observant seemed weaker; not sure if it's on HO's end or Dan's.

It was after Dan got a blow that sent him flying that Danny realized that they couldn't simply one on one, "Vlad. Did you ever play tag a hundred years ago?"

"I'm not a hundred yet, Daniel. What are you getting at, we don't exactly have the time for idle chitchat."

"Ugh. Tag team! Work together!"

Vlad raised his eyebrows in surprise, "This is weirdest fighting plan you've had, Daniel. You, your rival, namely me, and your former evil alternate future working together. It sounds like a bad bar joke."

"Oh, so you'd rather get your butt kicked and doom us all?"

"No, but …. you better be right about this,Phantom."

" _Have I failed yet?"_ Danny said in Esperanto.

"Why are you speaking in Esperanto?"

" _Would you rather be yelling all our plans in English for cyclops over there to know about?_ "

" _No, I guess not._ "

" _Alright then._ Dan," Danny called, causing Dan to turn around, " _Tag team attack."_

" _That sounds like a bad Pokemon move._ " Dan growled as an ecto-ray barely missed his head.

" _Aw C'mon!_ "

" _Fine., but you seriously have to come up with better sounding plans. That was just awful._ "

" _Hey! I'm not as bad as Jazz."_

Dan actually pondered on that thought almost nostalgically, " _Yeah,"_ he shook the thought off, " _How do you plan on us doing a tag team fight against One Eye over here."_

" _Well he can't keep mental tabs on all three of us, can he? Especially when we're going to be thinking of everything and anything but the fight."_ This almost made Dan pause.

" _Anything and everything?_ " Danny shrugged.

" _As long as it keeps him out of our plans, yes. I don't even care if it's horribly creepy like Vlad wanting Mom's phone number."_

"Hey!"

" _Ew...wait I remember that! Eww. Did he get a cat?"_

" _You bet. Named her Maddie."_ Dan shivered mid-flight.

Landing back with the two other halfas, Dan sassed the high Observant once more though he was still recovering from that last hit,"Okay so maybe you hit harder. But you're still not the most powerful ghost around here. You never will be. "

"Is that so Phantom? Because I think you're mistaken. My powers are not just getting stronger, but you're also becoming weaker, incase you haven't noticed and very quickly. You won't last much longer. I think we both know why that is don't we?"

Danny frowned. It didn't occur how the tears would affect Dan's strength.

Dan glared at HO with his eyes, glowing that now normal green and turned that glare into a grin, "I guess we'll just have to get this thing done quickly then. Hey Vladdy! _Multiplication times five!"_

On que Vlad as well as Dan multiplied themselves five times which surrounded High Observant and gave him a machine gun worthy ecto punch on all sides.

One could see High Observant taking the hits, one could see that it hurt. Yet none of those watching, even Danny who was both keeping an eye on the battle and an eye on the chains, could not tell how much damage was actually dealt. If the chains had lost some of their glow, Danny wasn't able to tell how much. But then he could see something like HO was building up energy to be released.

"Guys back! Quickly!" Danny yelled, but not enough time before HO sent them flying, "No!" The power hit his shield, cracking it to the point where it threatened to fall apart. With a grunt, the half-ghost teen pushed more power into the ecto-shield, repairing the cracks and allowing him to focus once again on Clockwork. He hadn't so much as twitched in the last few minutes. Was something wrong? Danny couldn't help but worry. Did the chains drain so much that the Time Ghost couldn't remain conscious?

"Damn, we're running out of time." Danny thought to himself, "What can we do that's powerful enough to take all that power back to Clockwork, because numbers are simply not doing it."

Dan got up got up and flung himself in flight at High Observant to catch him off guard, but instead was stopped in mid-flight and sent back fast, "What the fuccck?!" He skidded to a halt, thoroughly confused before being jolted forward again. "Ah, dang it!" More curses flew from his mouth as he was dragged around like a ragdoll, before being dropped unceremoniously in mid-air. Vlad was having similar problems. Whenever he would get close enough to hit the High Observant with whatever attack he chose, he would be flung back. Both of their heads were throbbing and it was getting harder to remember what they were supposed to do with every time they were moved.

"If I can have a few premonitions why can't I do what High Observant doing?" Danny thought, and when he saw what appeared to be a blue glow in HO's fists.

"STOP!" Time answered. Time itself, all through the tower, came to a silent stop. Aside from Clockwork, Dan who stood outside of time even now, and Danny, nothing moved. Danny swore he could hear his heartbeat, and what he could only assume were other organs in his body. Even with his enhanced hearing, it was freaking him out.

Dan fell to the ground and groaned, "Oh thank god. I think I'm going to puke now"

"What did I just do? Did I actually manage to stop time?"

"Well seeing as I can move and we can hear our insides at work, yes you managed it. Barely."

"Ok." Danny took a moment to think, "If you use a ghost stinger on the eyeball, could you give back the energy you took?"

Dan grinned, "One step ahead of you, _mini-me."_ With that he flew up to the HO before Danny could get another word in, "Dinner time, Eye ball."

Dan unleashed claws in both hands and jabbed High Observant in the head, the excruciating pain at his head which shook him out of the time freeze and sent him crashing down but also flung Dan onto his back.

"Ow. I did it though." Dan hissed as he stood up, "How are those chains looking?"

Danny tugged on one experimentally, "Loose. Dull. Rather breakable, actually."

"Good," Dan struggled in walking, almost stumbling over to Clockwork, "Alright Clockwork, this is going to hurt, not gonna lie," and inserted as carefully as he could, his claws into Clockwork's arms and reversed the powers back into the time ghosts spirit. The exchange drained whatever ghost energy he had gotten from Frostbite, which caused Dan to fall to his knees and change back to his human form, messy black hair, blue eyes and all; then fell face first onto the ground.

 **CLOCKWORK**

Not soon after Clockwork was freed, the observants came to themselves as if High Observant had them under his control when he was in power.

Danny grabbed hold of Clockwork in a hug, "Oh thank god, Clockwork you're alright. We did it,"

"Yes, Daniel for now. Aren't you forgetting about someone," Clockwork said indicating the weak Dan lying on the ground. Not completely asleep, but still very weak."

Danny released his hug with Clockwork, and crouched down to Dan, "Hey. Bigger, older, and I admit, better looking me, wake up." He said, poking Dan in the side. When that didn't work, he tried a different tactic, "GHOST!"

"Where?!"

Looking upward, Dan groaned, "Oh, you. Very funny," he then pushed himself onto his back.

Danny grinned still in his ghost form.

"No need to gloat. I did most of the work being beating him up anyway, while you were playing nurse."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd want him to get injured or, say, die again. Maybe I could try to rewind time and fix that? Wait, no, cause then we'd all be dead to."

"Alright I get it. Take a joke."

"Joke received. You able to stand on your own?"

"Uh yeah," Dan said trying to get up and tried to walk a few steps and wobbled which ended in falling back down, "Damn, I guess not. Looks like that power juice of Frostbite's finally wore off."

"The High Observant said something about you losing power as you were fighting. What did he mean by that?"

"Going from being fully dead to half alive, set me back so to speak. I essentially have to work from the ground up, gain all my power back from nothing. The only reason I was able to fight was thanks to Frostbite giving me a ghost version of an adrenaline shot."

"Starting from scratch or basics?" If Dan kept the basics then he wouldn't be powerless for any length of time, like he would if he had to start from scratch.

"Don't know that yet mini-me. Gonna have to figure it out as I go I guess." Danny nodded.

"At least you won't be alone this time."

Dan smiled, it was the first real Danny Fenton smile he's done in years, but it faltered when he saw a group of red cloaked men appear.

Clockwork knew who these ghosts were. They were, aside from himself and the High Observant, the oldest ghosts in the Zone. They only made themselves known when a world or timeline changing event happened. This, he thought amusedly, would definitely classify as one. He wasn't sure which side they'd choose. They were neutral for the most part, and it was hard even for him to predict their motives and actions.

"Nice of you to show up, Ancients." They were late, that much he could tell with his steadily restoring Sight.

"We would say," Multiple voices echoed in the minds of those around to hear them, "that we would have come earlier. We do not lie, so we did not say it. We are here for the defeated and the dark."

"The dark?" Danny asked, "I mean, sure you can take the eyeball. But who's the _dark_?"

"The fallen Phantom, halfa."

Danny almost winced, though he couldn't help the hurt expression that crossed his face. Halfa wasn't a nice term for Half-ghosts. Yet it was the only official name they had for themselves.

"What? You can't take Dan. He helped me save the Timeline despite still recovering from the Ecto-Phoenix solution. He's one of the good guys now!"

"That does little to help him, halfa. He had caused more destruction than the Tyrant King, and you still want him free? Without paying the price of what he's done?"

"He could've damned both ghost and human timelines by not coming and letting Clockwork die. He probably had suspicions that you all would come for him but still came anyway."

"Always were on my tail in my timeline." Dan grumbled, not liking that the Ancients were here.

"Silence. Phantom. You have no say in this matter. We are discussing your fate, you will be quiet. The Tyrant King was sentenced to sleep forever, and you have done much worse than he. Your fate shall not be so...pleasant."

"Then make a decision. I can't, no I won't just stay with this knife over my head." Dan growled, "Take my powers away, kill me, imprison me at Walker's prison. I don't care. Just make one, it's killing me."

"No, death was too good for Pariah, it is too good for you."

"I didn't have a soul. You should know my younger self would never do what I did; and that he'd have remorse while I had none and -"

"Enough Phantom!"

"Now I have enormous amounts of guilt since I woke up just a couple hours ago!"

At the end of Dan's rant, a trill echoed from no visible source. A few seconds later, there was a flash of heat, fire and light that had everyone covering their eyes. When the light and fire died down, Dani was standing there beside Danny, Dan, and Clockwork.

"Dani?!"

"'Sup guys? Aw, I missed you kicking the eyeball's….butt! Yeah. So….what's with the dudes in red?"

"We are the Ancients, Child. We are discussing the fate of Dark Phantom. We plan on punishing him for his past crimes and his escape from his prison in the thermos."

"Dark Phantom? Wait Dan isn't evil anymore, he's a hero again. Why are you punishing him again?"

"Because Child, he still needs to pay for his crimes."

"But he is good again. He helped me out, sort of, took down the cyclops dude, helped save Clockwork, what more do you want him to do?"

"Child, we see that you have great faith in him, but he is still a threat to both the human and ghost world with his powers."

Dani's face was then angry, and looked over to Dan, "And you're just gonna take this lying down?", She then looked to Danny, "Danny, he's you. You can't damn yourself."

"Dani where did you hear that language?"

"Nowhere. But that's not the point. There must be a way to redeem Dan. Please!"

Danny then spoke up to the Ancients again, "Ancients, there is gaget that the Fentons have that suppresses ghost energy. Why don't do something similar to him? Have him help human and ghost alike without powers. Have him prove that he has changed."

The Ancients pondered this thought and talked amongst themselves, "Fine. Phantom since you did save Clockwork from a terrible fate, We will give you leniency. You will never have the full extent of your powers, but you will help ghost and human alike with basic abilities and human hunter tools. Also you will sire this young ghost child who has such faith in you and make sure she doesn't make the same mistakes that you made in your youth.

Dan's jaw dropped, not knowing what to say. "That's it?"

Sure he wouldn't be powerful, but the restrictions had to let up some time. And Dani? He glanced over at her. The "annoying little brat" was not so bad. He was sure it wouldn't be too hard to teach her "don't be me". Right? He mentally sighed. Famous last words. "Well, it could be worse."

"Hey!" Dani said punching her arm at him, and turned back to the Ancients giving one of them a hug, "Thank you."

This startled the Ancient but he didn't show it and kept his cool composure, "Know this Phantom, we're giving you a mark that'll inhibit your powers. Do anything that severs the mark or give us or Clockwork any reason for you going back to your old ways, even failing this young ghost, and we will not hesitate to punish you to an even harsher degree than before."

"Understood."

"Very well. We'll take our leave. But before we go, Phantom come closer,"

Dan stepped forward carefully, and the Ancient placed his hand onto Dan's chest, right above his heart branding him with a mark. Dan cringed from the burn but stood his ground.

"There. Now goodbye Phantom."

And so the Ancient released his hand and they all left the Halfas and humans taking the former High Observant with them, while the remaining observants came to, the ones that didn't get their ecto-energy absorbed by him. Everyone that was human gathered to where the Phantom fight was previously at, to get word from the younger phantom to leave the ghost zone.

"Thank you all," Danny greeted the crowd, "Let's go home."

They all cheered and began heading off to the vehicles, all except the Fentons that came even closer to half-ghosts and Clockwork who then Insisted that Danielle and Vlad help him to the ship seeing how he's still a little weak. Danny stayed with Dan having a feeling he'll need the support. He knows what the guilt feels like.

 **Dan**

Dan could feel his nerves building up as his parents walked toward him and Danny. Every one of his instincts was telling him to run, most would think that his evil self would be his worst fear, but honestly it was bad enough when he was Danny's age when he only feared what his parents would think of him being half ghost, though that is nothing compared to find out that their son became an evil mass murdering psychopathic whacko.

"Danny, you didn't tell them, what I did, did you?" Dan asked but didn't get an answer because of Maddie calling Danny's name.

"Danny!"

To his surprise it wasn't Danny who she gave a hug to, when the parents came trotting over. Her hug nearly knocked over from shock, but he couldn't bear to look at her face; so he kept his eyes shut tight. It just felt too painful to see that smile of hers. He was an absolute monster, how was he going to be able to make up for it?

She then whispered in his ear, "Danny, it's alright. We forgive you."

Just then he began crying silent tears.


	9. Epilogue

We aren't done yet. We have an epilogue. So here we go.

Clockwork's POV

It was some months later after the battle of the High Observant. Everything was pretty much normal so to speak, except for a few things that they didn't have before. Jack and Maddie Fenton began to work out the issue that gave birth the day of the accident when they were in college. One that festered in Vlad's heart for a good twenty years and now began to heal. Dani grew tired of traveling and decided to live with Dan and help him heal his now functional heart. Dan who now does his duty helping his parents happily, lives in a small house just down the street from them with the help of Mayor Vlad. Danny is enjoying this new life with not having to lie to his parents about who he is and knowing his fears of how his parents would react to him having his own accident and being half ghost and experiments were fruitless. Ghosts still came through the manmade portals and the natural ones as well, though not as many since there being more than one half ghost permanently residing in Amity Park.

Dan came walking into Fenton Works after nabbing a ghost with Jack joking with him about the Jumpsuit, "I never thought I'd be professionally wearing one your jumpsuits, Dad. God, that still feels weird on the tongue saying that again."

Jack's laugh was as loud as it ever was, booming through the house, "Well you better get used to it, Dan-o," and slapped him on the back.

"Gah." Now I know how Vlad feels, Dan thought to himself. "So, now that the ghost is caught and I doubt there will be another one for a while, what do I do now?"

"Dan!" Dani cried out running to him nearly knocking him over, "You're back."

Dan smiled, "Hey there squirt. School was good?"

"Yeah. Math was boring though." She said sarcarsticly.

"You enjoyed math, did you say?' He asked loudly.

"No I didn't, I said it was boring."

With a teasing smile he said, " I speak sarcasm though," then called out to Jazz who he saw in the kitchen, "Hey Jazz, Dani likes math!"

"Hey!" Dani yelled while trying to hide her smile.

"Oh stop teasing the girl, Dan." Jazz said, "I remember you wanted to be an astronaut."

"Yeah, but that was years ago, at least for me anyway. Dani did you want to eat dinner here tonight or do you want me to cook something at home?

"Is the pot still burnt?" Dani asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"Here it is then."

"What's this about a burnt pot?" Jazz asked humorously.

"Nothing." Dan said.

"He is a horrible cook." Dani replied at the same time.

"Dani!" The girl just giggled.

"Not always. It's just been a while since I had spaghetti."

"The pasta caught on fire?" Now it was Jazz who raised an eyebrow.

Dan just groaned, "I haven't had to cook in ten years, give me a break."

"The pasta. Caught on fire." Jazz repeated. "And I thought our mother was a horrible cook."

"She cooked with ectoplasm or something right? Fixed the microwave with it and now the stove uses it instead of gas or whatever. Not her fault the Thanksgiving Turkey still….okay yeah you're right."

"Did I hear something about Mom and a Thanksgiving turkey? I thought Mom and Dad weren't allowed to cook for Thanksgiving anymore." Danny walked into the house?, curiosity peaked.

"We were talking about how Dan is a horrible cook. He burnt pasta."

"Oh come on! I can make a good hamburger."

"Hamburgers? That's it?"

"And chicken. But Dani refuses because of her stupid pet phoenix."

"Hey. Iggi is not my pet. She is my friend. Besides, Danny got to keep Cujo."

"He's a dog. Not a bird that can burn our house down and did I mention that d- thing sings every God d- morning at the break of f- dawn? Loudly?"

"Oh, calm down. Dan."

"The stupid bird sounds like when Tucker tries and fails to sing on-key. Or a lawnmower. Or just...how they NOT related to the Lyrebird I will never know."

"Well it's not MY fault that she learned all of your swear words."

"Hey. If the chicken ("Not a chicken, Dan.") is going to insist on waking the whole God d- world with that racket…"

"Wait. So Iggi is flying around saying swears?" Danny asked.

"Well, no. I told Iggi only to use them when talking about Dan-" Dani replied.

"You did what?"

"...oops."

Everyone else started laughing while Dan only showed a small smile and said, "We're going to set some rules about that bird when we get home. I need to be able to sleep now that I have my humanity back, you know."

"So, What's for dinner?" Dani said grinning.

"Sam and Tucker are bringing something over. I don't know what." Danny said with a shrug.

"In the meanwhile why don't you do some of that homework of yours until then? Maybe I'll lenient on the bird rules in return," Dan said with a wink.

Dani rolled her eyes, but headed upstairs anyway. As she reached the top of the stairs the girl slowed down, spun on her heel and walked right back down because she could not get her homework done without a pencil. Maddie, who was cleaning up after trying to get the microwave to run without using ectoplasm for the third time that week, noticed her and called out to Dan from where she was.

"You seem to have become quite the parent Dan. There seems to be a more mild change in you since the battle at Clockworks. It's good to see that you're taking this well."

"Not like I have a choice, Mrs. Fenton."

"I told you to call me Mom, young man!"

"Sorry Mom. Habit I guess. But you're right, taking care of Dani has helped me a lot, and if it wasn't for her, I don't know what state I'd be in right now. She saved me quite a few times that day in a few different ways. Plus, maybe there is some use for that bird of hers."

Maddie looked at him puzzled.

"The humanity cure. That bird was a key factor in bringing me back from that hell I was living," Dan said then got quiet thinking about those past memories of his evil self.

The mood was broken just a few moments later as, with a series of knocks and a kick, the front door flew open to reveal Sam and a worn out Tucker who was carrying all the food.

"We come bringing gifts!" Sam called out as everyone gravitated to the table.

"No Nasty Burger I hope." Dan said, his tone joking but with an almost anxious look on his face. Everyone knew by now not to comment on it.

"Of course not, Dan. I'm not that cruel. Unlike some people." Here, she gave a pointed look toward Tucker.

"I'm sorry okay?! Danny was okay with it so I didn't think about it and the second time was an accident!"

Dan was about to say something but then Dani came sliding down the banister.

"What's up? Oooooooooooo. FOOD!"

"Dani what did I say about sliding down banisters?"

"To only do it if …I had a helmet?"

Dan sighed and Maddie just facepalms. At least she wasn't taking back her compliment.

Later at the table Danny asks his parents especially Jack,"So how has it been with Vlad recently?"

"Uh… better?" Jack's reply sounded more like a question than a statement.

"I suppose. After two decades of having him resent Jack though? And after everything that he's done it's just...hard."

"Clockwork was telling me the other day. That Spectra might be Vlads spectral parent like he is for me and whispered thoughts to him when he was in the hospital after his accident. She loves to cause misery. In fact she thrives on it, and the more she is able to take in, the longer she's able to keep up a younger appearance. Vlad would be quite the meal for her so maybe that's why she saved him and why Vlad resented Dad for so long," Danny said after taking a bite of his food.

Maddie and Jack dropped their forks, not sure what to think on the matter.

"So it wasn't his fault. Or, at least, not completely." Jack said.

"Wonder how he could've turned out, if this is in fact true, if Spectra hadn't hung around to torment Vlad. How he could've been." Maddie added, thinking out loud more than speaking to anyone in particular.

"I wonder if he even knows himself or could even sense her?"

Suddenly the messaging system on the Fenton's home phone started playing an automatic voice message that sounded like Vlad's voice, "Look it takes something big to make me take a look at my pride and send an apology to you all, especially you Maddie. I became the biggest creep and a very evil man to whom were my best friends in college. Now I'm assuming Clockwork has told Daniel and therefore all of you about Spectra. About how she is my spectral parent, similar to Clockwork being his. When I awoke in my hospital I was in agonizing pain in my mind, my heart and physical body overall, it was safe to say that I was dying. I went in and out of sleep after I first woke up. That pain I felt was loud to that parasite's senses and she came. Mind you I did not know, but she saved me but she also purposely inserted a link between my pain and her power, which means could send poisonous whispers in my mind, thinking they were my own thoughts. For this, I am sorry. It is also the reason I am leaving. I have placed my resignation in the mayor's office desk. I know what you are thinking Daniel, Please don't come after me; I will be fine. I need to to find a way or a place to sever this connection on my own. Hopefully I will be successful and can come back with my conscience clean without her taint. Until then, goodbye."

The message then clicked, turned off, and left them in silence.

We enjoyed writing this and hope you enjoyed reading it. We aren't sure if we'll write a sequel or not, since we have our own projects but we have some ideas down in case we do. Let us know whether or not you want one.


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